Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Barre, VT?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.4% of gross income.

Barre rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Vermont state estimate).

Barre median rent
$1,483/mo
Bus Driver salary (Vermont)
$50,265/yr
Rent as % of income
35.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,189, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,257/mo in rent. Barre's median rent of $1,483 exceeds that threshold by $226/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 61.4 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 Vermont cities have lower median rent than Barre, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Bennington, VT
$1,388/mo (33.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barre

View full rent data for Barre, VT

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Barre, VT?

Median rent in Barre is $1,483 a month. A typical bus driver in Vermont earns about $50,265 a year, which makes that rent 35.4% 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 Barre?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Vermont (~$50,265/yr) supports up to $1,257 a month in rent. Barre's current median rent is $1,483/mo, which is $226/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Vermont works roughly 61.4 hours a month to cover Barre's median rent of $1,483.

Where is rent cheaper than Barre for a bus driver?

Nearby Vermont cities with lower median rent include Bennington ($1,388/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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