Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Cranston, RI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 44.7% of gross income.

Cranston rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Rhode Island state estimate).

Cranston median rent
$2,009/mo
Bus Driver salary (Rhode Island)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
44.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Cranston's median rent of $2,009 exceeds that threshold by $662/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 77.5 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 Rhode Island cities have lower median rent than Cranston, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Westerly, RI
$2,006/mo (44.7% of income)
Westerly, RI
$2,000/mo (44.5% of income)
Lincoln, RI
$1,999/mo (44.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cranston

View full rent data for Cranston, RI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Cranston, RI?

Median rent in Cranston is $2,009 a month. A typical bus driver in Rhode Island earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 44.7% 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 Cranston?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Rhode Island (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Cranston's current median rent is $2,009/mo, which is $662/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Rhode Island works roughly 77.5 hours a month to cover Cranston's median rent of $2,009.

Where is rent cheaper than Cranston for a bus driver?

Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include Westerly ($2,006/mo), Westerly ($2,000/mo), Lincoln ($1,999/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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