Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Alamogordo, NM?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.8% of gross income.

Alamogordo rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico state estimate).

Alamogordo median rent
$1,546/mo
Bus Driver salary (New Mexico)
$46,638/yr
Rent as % of income
39.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,887, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,166/mo in rent. Alamogordo's median rent of $1,546 exceeds that threshold by $380/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 68.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bus driver salary

Transit bus driver pay sits near the US median household income, with municipal and unionized routes often paying more. At the national-average bus driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These New Mexico cities have lower median rent than Alamogordo, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Santa Teresa, NM
$1,518/mo (39.1% of income)
Santa Teresa, NM
$1,509/mo (38.8% of income)
Santa Teresa, NM
$1,500/mo (38.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Alamogordo

View full rent data for Alamogordo, NM

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Alamogordo, NM?

Median rent in Alamogordo is $1,546 a month. A typical bus driver in New Mexico earns about $46,638 a year, which makes that rent 39.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Alamogordo?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Mexico (~$46,638/yr) supports up to $1,166 a month in rent. Alamogordo's current median rent is $1,546/mo, which is $380/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Alamogordo?

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in New Mexico works roughly 68.9 hours a month to cover Alamogordo's median rent of $1,546.

Where is rent cheaper than Alamogordo for a bus driver?

Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Santa Teresa ($1,518/mo), Santa Teresa ($1,509/mo), Santa Teresa ($1,500/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived New Mexico state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Alamogordo, NM. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.