Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Middletown, PA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.9% of gross income.

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

Middletown median rent
$1,322/mo
Bus Driver salary (Pennsylvania)
$51,302/yr
Rent as % of income
30.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,275, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,283/mo in rent. Middletown's median rent of $1,322 exceeds that threshold by $39/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 53.6 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Middletown, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Aliquippa, PA
$1,321/mo (30.9% of income)
Lebanon, PA
$1,321/mo (30.9% of income)
Collingdale, PA
$1,321/mo (30.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Middletown

View full rent data for Middletown, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Middletown, PA?

Median rent in Middletown is $1,322 a month. A typical bus driver in Pennsylvania earns about $51,302 a year, which makes that rent 30.9% 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 Middletown?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Pennsylvania (~$51,302/yr) supports up to $1,283 a month in rent. Middletown's current median rent is $1,322/mo, which is $39/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Pennsylvania works roughly 53.6 hours a month to cover Middletown's median rent of $1,322.

Where is rent cheaper than Middletown for a bus driver?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Aliquippa ($1,321/mo), Lebanon ($1,321/mo), Collingdale ($1,321/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 Middletown, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.