Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Hillsboro, OR?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 42.4% of gross income.

Hillsboro rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Oregon state estimate).

Hillsboro median rent
$1,902/mo
Bus Driver salary (Oregon)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
42.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Hillsboro's median rent of $1,902 exceeds that threshold by $555/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 73.4 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 Oregon cities have lower median rent than Hillsboro, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Garden Home-Whitford, OR
$1,901/mo (42.3% of income)
Happy Valley, OR
$1,900/mo (42.3% of income)
Happy Valley, OR
$1,898/mo (42.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hillsboro

View full rent data for Hillsboro, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Hillsboro, OR?

Median rent in Hillsboro is $1,902 a month. A typical bus driver in Oregon earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 42.4% 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 Hillsboro?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Oregon (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Hillsboro's current median rent is $1,902/mo, which is $555/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Oregon works roughly 73.4 hours a month to cover Hillsboro's median rent of $1,902.

Where is rent cheaper than Hillsboro for a bus driver?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Garden Home-Whitford ($1,901/mo), Happy Valley ($1,900/mo), Happy Valley ($1,898/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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