Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Cleveland Heights, OH?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.7% of gross income.

Cleveland Heights rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Cleveland Heights median rent
$1,490/mo
Bus Driver salary (Ohio)
$48,711/yr
Rent as % of income
36.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,059, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,218/mo in rent. Cleveland Heights's median rent of $1,490 exceeds that threshold by $272/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 63.6 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 Cleveland Heights, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Marysville, OH
$1,489/mo (36.7% of income)
Marysville, OH
$1,489/mo (36.7% of income)
Mentor, OH
$1,488/mo (36.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cleveland Heights

View full rent data for Cleveland Heights, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Cleveland Heights, OH?

Median rent in Cleveland Heights is $1,490 a month. A typical bus driver in Ohio earns about $48,711 a year, which makes that rent 36.7% 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 Cleveland Heights?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Ohio (~$48,711/yr) supports up to $1,218 a month in rent. Cleveland Heights's current median rent is $1,490/mo, which is $272/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Ohio works roughly 63.6 hours a month to cover Cleveland Heights's median rent of $1,490.

Where is rent cheaper than Cleveland Heights for a bus driver?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Marysville ($1,489/mo), Marysville ($1,489/mo), Mentor ($1,488/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 Cleveland Heights, OH. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.