Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Brownsville, TX?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.7% of gross income.

Brownsville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Texas state estimate).

Brownsville median rent
$1,569/mo
Bus Driver salary (Texas)
$51,302/yr
Rent as % of income
36.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,275, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,283/mo in rent. Brownsville's median rent of $1,569 exceeds that threshold by $286/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 63.6 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 Texas cities have lower median rent than Brownsville, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Coppell, TX
$1,568/mo (36.7% of income)
Lewisville, TX
$1,568/mo (36.7% of income)
Cedar Park, TX
$1,568/mo (36.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brownsville

View full rent data for Brownsville, TX

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Brownsville, TX?

Median rent in Brownsville is $1,569 a month. A typical bus driver in Texas earns about $51,302 a year, which makes that rent 36.7% 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 Brownsville?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Texas (~$51,302/yr) supports up to $1,283 a month in rent. Brownsville's current median rent is $1,569/mo, which is $286/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a bus driver in Texas works roughly 63.6 hours a month to cover Brownsville's median rent of $1,569.

Where is rent cheaper than Brownsville for a bus driver?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Coppell ($1,568/mo), Lewisville ($1,568/mo), Cedar Park ($1,568/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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