Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Kingston, TN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 34% of gross income.

Kingston rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Kingston median rent
$1,352/mo
Bus Driver salary (Tennessee)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
34%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Kingston's median rent of $1,352 exceeds that threshold by $160/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 59 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 Kingston, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Jackson, TN
$1,351/mo (34% of income)
Bristol, TN
$1,350/mo (34% of income)
Johnson City, TN
$1,349/mo (34% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kingston

View full rent data for Kingston, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Kingston, TN?

Median rent in Kingston is $1,352 a month. A typical bus driver in Tennessee earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 34% 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 Kingston?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Tennessee (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Kingston's current median rent is $1,352/mo, which is $160/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Tennessee works roughly 59 hours a month to cover Kingston's median rent of $1,352.

Where is rent cheaper than Kingston for a bus driver?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Jackson ($1,351/mo), Bristol ($1,350/mo), Johnson City ($1,349/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 Kingston, TN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.