Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Carlisle, PA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.3% of gross income.

Carlisle rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Carlisle median rent
$1,508/mo
Bus Driver salary (Pennsylvania)
$51,302/yr
Rent as % of income
35.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,275, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,283/mo in rent. Carlisle's median rent of $1,508 exceeds that threshold by $225/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 61.1 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Carlisle, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Coraopolis, PA
$1,507/mo (35.3% of income)
Clifton Heights, PA
$1,507/mo (35.3% of income)
Camp Hill, PA
$1,506/mo (35.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Carlisle

View full rent data for Carlisle, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Carlisle, PA?

Median rent in Carlisle is $1,508 a month. A typical bus driver in Pennsylvania earns about $51,302 a year, which makes that rent 35.3% 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 Carlisle?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Pennsylvania (~$51,302/yr) supports up to $1,283 a month in rent. Carlisle's current median rent is $1,508/mo, which is $225/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Pennsylvania works roughly 61.1 hours a month to cover Carlisle's median rent of $1,508.

Where is rent cheaper than Carlisle for a bus driver?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Coraopolis ($1,507/mo), Clifton Heights ($1,507/mo), Camp Hill ($1,506/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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