Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Oak Harbor, WA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.1% of gross income.

Oak Harbor rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington state estimate).

Oak Harbor median rent
$1,940/mo
Bus Driver salary (Washington)
$58,038/yr
Rent as % of income
40.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,837, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,451/mo in rent. Oak Harbor's median rent of $1,940 exceeds that threshold by $489/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 69.5 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 Oak Harbor, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Mount Vernon, WA
$1,939/mo (40.1% of income)
Kent, WA
$1,939/mo (40.1% of income)
Lacey, WA
$1,939/mo (40.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Oak Harbor

View full rent data for Oak Harbor, WA

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Oak Harbor, WA?

Median rent in Oak Harbor is $1,940 a month. A typical bus driver in Washington earns about $58,038 a year, which makes that rent 40.1% 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 Oak Harbor?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Washington (~$58,038/yr) supports up to $1,451 a month in rent. Oak Harbor's current median rent is $1,940/mo, which is $489/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a bus driver in Washington works roughly 69.5 hours a month to cover Oak Harbor's median rent of $1,940.

Where is rent cheaper than Oak Harbor for a bus driver?

Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Mount Vernon ($1,939/mo), Kent ($1,939/mo), Lacey ($1,939/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 Oak Harbor, WA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.