Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Woonsocket, RI?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.1% of gross income.

Woonsocket rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Rhode Island state estimate).

Woonsocket median rent
$1,577/mo
Bus Driver salary (Rhode Island)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
35.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Woonsocket's median rent of $1,577 exceeds that threshold by $230/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 60.9 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 Rhode Island cities have lower median rent than Woonsocket, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Providence, RI
$1,552/mo (34.6% of income)
Central Falls, RI
$1,547/mo (34.4% of income)
Central Falls, RI
$1,531/mo (34.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Woonsocket

View full rent data for Woonsocket, RI →

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Woonsocket, RI?

Median rent in Woonsocket is $1,577 a month. A typical bus driver in Rhode Island earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 35.1% 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 Woonsocket?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Rhode Island (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Woonsocket's current median rent is $1,577/mo, which is $230/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Rhode Island works roughly 60.9 hours a month to cover Woonsocket's median rent of $1,577.

Where is rent cheaper than Woonsocket for a bus driver?

Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include Providence ($1,552/mo), Central Falls ($1,547/mo), Central Falls ($1,531/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 Woonsocket, RI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.