Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Bowling Green, OH?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.8% of gross income.

Bowling Green rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Bowling Green median rent
$1,049/mo
Bus Driver salary (Ohio)
$48,711/yr
Rent as % of income
25.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,059, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,218/mo in rent. Bowling Green's median rent of $1,049 leaves roughly $169/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 44.8 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 Ohio cities have lower median rent than Bowling Green, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Cuyahoga Falls, OH
$1,048/mo (25.8% of income)
Elyria, OH
$1,047/mo (25.8% of income)
Vandalia, OH
$1,046/mo (25.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bowling Green

View full rent data for Bowling Green, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Bowling Green, OH?

Median rent in Bowling Green is $1,049 a month. A typical bus driver in Ohio earns about $48,711 a year, which makes that rent 25.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Bowling Green?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Ohio (~$48,711/yr) supports up to $1,218 a month in rent. Bowling Green's current median rent is $1,049/mo, which leaves a $169/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Ohio works roughly 44.8 hours a month to cover Bowling Green's median rent of $1,049.

Where is rent cheaper than Bowling Green for a bus driver?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Cuyahoga Falls ($1,048/mo), Elyria ($1,047/mo), Vandalia ($1,046/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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