Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Hood River, OR?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 78.4% of gross income.

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

Hood River median rent
$3,522/mo
Bus Driver salary (Oregon)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
78.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Hood River's median rent of $3,522 exceeds that threshold by $2,175/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 135.9 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 Hood River, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Sherwood, OR
$2,577/mo (57.4% of income)
Sherwood, OR
$2,497/mo (55.6% of income)
Sherwood, OR
$2,497/mo (55.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hood River

View full rent data for Hood River, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Hood River, OR?

Median rent in Hood River is $3,522 a month. A typical bus driver in Oregon earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 78.4% 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 Hood River?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Oregon (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Hood River's current median rent is $3,522/mo, which is $2,175/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Oregon works roughly 135.9 hours a month to cover Hood River's median rent of $3,522.

Where is rent cheaper than Hood River for a bus driver?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Sherwood ($2,577/mo), Sherwood ($2,497/mo), Sherwood ($2,497/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 Hood River, OR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.