Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Dayton, TN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.5% of gross income.

Dayton rent: January 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Dayton median rent
$815/mo
Bus Driver salary (Tennessee)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
20.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Dayton's median rent of $815 leaves roughly $377/mo of headroom under that threshold. A bus driver works roughly 35.6 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Dayton, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Dyersburg, TN
$812/mo (20.4% of income)
Dyersburg, TN
$781/mo (19.7% of income)
Dyersburg, TN
$768/mo (19.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dayton

View full rent data for Dayton, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Dayton, TN?

Median rent in Dayton is $815 a month. A typical bus driver in Tennessee earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 20.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Dayton?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Tennessee (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Dayton's current median rent is $815/mo, which leaves a $377/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Tennessee works roughly 35.6 hours a month to cover Dayton's median rent of $815.

Where is rent cheaper than Dayton for a bus driver?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Dyersburg ($812/mo), Dyersburg ($781/mo), Dyersburg ($768/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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