Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Mill Creek, WA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 49.5% of gross income.

Mill Creek rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington state estimate).

Mill Creek median rent
$2,395/mo
Bus Driver salary (Washington)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
49.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Mill Creek's median rent of $2,395 exceeds that threshold by $944/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 85.8 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 Washington cities have lower median rent than Mill Creek, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Blaine, WA
$2,391/mo (49.4% of income)
Stanwood, WA
$2,388/mo (49.4% of income)
Newcastle, WA
$2,386/mo (49.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Mill Creek

View full rent data for Mill Creek, WA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Mill Creek, WA?

Median rent in Mill Creek is $2,395 a month. A typical bus driver in Washington earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 49.5% 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 Mill Creek?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Washington (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Mill Creek's current median rent is $2,395/mo, which is $944/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in Washington works roughly 85.8 hours a month to cover Mill Creek's median rent of $2,395.

Where is rent cheaper than Mill Creek for a bus driver?

Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Blaine ($2,391/mo), Stanwood ($2,388/mo), Newcastle ($2,386/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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