Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Pawtucket, RI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 41.7% of gross income.

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

Pawtucket median rent
$1,872/mo
Bus Driver salary (Rhode Island)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
41.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Pawtucket's median rent of $1,872 exceeds that threshold by $525/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 72.2 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 Pawtucket, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Lincoln, RI
$1,865/mo (41.5% of income)
West Warwick, RI
$1,848/mo (41.1% of income)
Lincoln, RI
$1,837/mo (40.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pawtucket

View full rent data for Pawtucket, RI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Pawtucket, RI?

Median rent in Pawtucket is $1,872 a month. A typical bus driver in Rhode Island earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 41.7% 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 Pawtucket?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Rhode Island (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Pawtucket's current median rent is $1,872/mo, which is $525/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Rhode Island works roughly 72.2 hours a month to cover Pawtucket's median rent of $1,872.

Where is rent cheaper than Pawtucket for a bus driver?

Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include Lincoln ($1,865/mo), West Warwick ($1,848/mo), Lincoln ($1,837/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 Pawtucket, RI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.