Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Mentor, OH?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.1% of gross income.

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

Mentor median rent
$1,588/mo
Bus Driver salary (Ohio)
$48,711/yr
Rent as % of income
39.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,059, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,218/mo in rent. Mentor's median rent of $1,588 exceeds that threshold by $370/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 67.8 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 Mentor, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Wooster, OH
$1,587/mo (39.1% of income)
Amelia, OH
$1,586/mo (39.1% of income)
Delaware, OH
$1,585/mo (39% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Mentor

View full rent data for Mentor, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Mentor, OH?

Median rent in Mentor is $1,588 a month. A typical bus driver in Ohio earns about $48,711 a year, which makes that rent 39.1% 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 Mentor?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Ohio (~$48,711/yr) supports up to $1,218 a month in rent. Mentor's current median rent is $1,588/mo, which is $370/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Ohio works roughly 67.8 hours a month to cover Mentor's median rent of $1,588.

Where is rent cheaper than Mentor for a bus driver?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Wooster ($1,587/mo), Amelia ($1,586/mo), Delaware ($1,585/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 Mentor, OH. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.