Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Sioux Falls, SD?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.9% of gross income.

Sioux Falls rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (South Dakota state estimate).

Sioux Falls median rent
$1,327/mo
Bus Driver salary (South Dakota)
$45,602/yr
Rent as % of income
34.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,800, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,140/mo in rent. Sioux Falls's median rent of $1,327 exceeds that threshold by $187/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 60.5 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 South Dakota cities have lower median rent than Sioux Falls, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Brookings, SD
$1,317/mo (34.7% of income)
Box Elder, SD
$1,313/mo (34.6% of income)
Tea, SD
$1,309/mo (34.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Sioux Falls

View full rent data for Sioux Falls, SD

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Sioux Falls, SD?

Median rent in Sioux Falls is $1,327 a month. A typical bus driver in South Dakota earns about $45,602 a year, which makes that rent 34.9% 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 Sioux Falls?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in South Dakota (~$45,602/yr) supports up to $1,140 a month in rent. Sioux Falls's current median rent is $1,327/mo, which is $187/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $22 an hour, a bus driver in South Dakota works roughly 60.5 hours a month to cover Sioux Falls's median rent of $1,327.

Where is rent cheaper than Sioux Falls for a bus driver?

Nearby South Dakota cities with lower median rent include Brookings ($1,317/mo), Box Elder ($1,313/mo), Tea ($1,309/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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