Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Portales, NM?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.1% of gross income.
Portales rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico state estimate).
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 Portales, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:
Compare with full rent data for Portales
View full rent data for Portales, NM →Frequently asked questions
Can a bus driver afford rent in Portales, NM?
Median rent in Portales is $975 a month. A typical bus driver in New Mexico earns about $46,638 a year, which makes that rent 25.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a bus driver afford in Portales?
Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in New Mexico (~$46,638/yr) supports up to $1,166 a month in rent. Portales's current median rent is $975/mo, which leaves a $191/mo buffer.
How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Portales?
At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in New Mexico works roughly 43.5 hours a month to cover Portales's median rent of $975.
Where is rent cheaper than Portales for a bus driver?
Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Las Cruces ($918/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.