Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Beaver Dam, WI?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 31.1% of gross income.

Beaver Dam rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Beaver Dam median rent
$1,276/mo
Bus Driver salary (Wisconsin)
$49,229/yr
Rent as % of income
31.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,102, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,231/mo in rent. Beaver Dam's median rent of $1,276 exceeds that threshold by $45/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 53.9 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Beaver Dam, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Stevens Point, WI
$1,275/mo (31.1% of income)
Chippewa Falls, WI
$1,274/mo (31.1% of income)
Wauwatosa, WI
$1,273/mo (31% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Beaver Dam

View full rent data for Beaver Dam, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Beaver Dam, WI?

Median rent in Beaver Dam is $1,276 a month. A typical bus driver in Wisconsin earns about $49,229 a year, which makes that rent 31.1% 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 Beaver Dam?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Wisconsin (~$49,229/yr) supports up to $1,231 a month in rent. Beaver Dam's current median rent is $1,276/mo, which is $45/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Wisconsin works roughly 53.9 hours a month to cover Beaver Dam's median rent of $1,276.

Where is rent cheaper than Beaver Dam for a bus driver?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Stevens Point ($1,275/mo), Chippewa Falls ($1,274/mo), Wauwatosa ($1,273/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

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