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

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.5% of gross income.

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

Beaver Dam median rent
$1,252/mo
Bus Driver salary (Wisconsin)
$49,229/yr
Rent as % of income
30.5%
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 $1,252 exceeds that threshold by $21/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 52.9 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:

Kenosha, WI
$1,251/mo (30.5% of income)
Menomonie, WI
$1,251/mo (30.5% of income)
Janesville, WI
$1,251/mo (30.5% 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 $1,252 a month. A typical bus driver in Wisconsin earns about $49,229 a year, which makes that rent 30.5% 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 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 $1,252/mo, which is $21/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 52.9 hours a month to cover Beaver Dam's median rent of $1,252.

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

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Kenosha ($1,251/mo), Menomonie ($1,251/mo), Janesville ($1,251/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.