Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Lenoir City, TN?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 42.6% of gross income.

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

Lenoir City median rent
$1,691/mo
Bus Driver salary (Tennessee)
$47,674/yr
Rent as % of income
42.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,973, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,192/mo in rent. Lenoir City's median rent of $1,691 exceeds that threshold by $499/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 73.8 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 Lenoir City, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Oak Ridge, TN
$1,689/mo (42.5% of income)
Crossville, TN
$1,689/mo (42.5% of income)
Oak Ridge, TN
$1,688/mo (42.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lenoir City

View full rent data for Lenoir City, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Lenoir City, TN?

Median rent in Lenoir City is $1,691 a month. A typical bus driver in Tennessee earns about $47,674 a year, which makes that rent 42.6% 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 Lenoir City?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Tennessee (~$47,674/yr) supports up to $1,192 a month in rent. Lenoir City's current median rent is $1,691/mo, which is $499/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $23 an hour, a bus driver in Tennessee works roughly 73.8 hours a month to cover Lenoir City's median rent of $1,691.

Where is rent cheaper than Lenoir City for a bus driver?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Oak Ridge ($1,689/mo), Crossville ($1,689/mo), Oak Ridge ($1,688/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 Lenoir City, TN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.