Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Brown Deer, WI?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.4% of gross income.

Brown Deer rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Brown Deer median rent
$1,618/mo
Bus Driver salary (Wisconsin)
$49,229/yr
Rent as % of income
39.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,102, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,231/mo in rent. Brown Deer's median rent of $1,618 exceeds that threshold by $387/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 68.4 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Brown Deer, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Madison, WI
$1,616/mo (39.4% of income)
River Falls, WI
$1,613/mo (39.3% of income)
Madison, WI
$1,613/mo (39.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Brown Deer

View full rent data for Brown Deer, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Brown Deer, WI?

Median rent in Brown Deer is $1,618 a month. A typical bus driver in Wisconsin earns about $49,229 a year, which makes that rent 39.4% 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 Brown Deer?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Wisconsin (~$49,229/yr) supports up to $1,231 a month in rent. Brown Deer's current median rent is $1,618/mo, which is $387/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Wisconsin works roughly 68.4 hours a month to cover Brown Deer's median rent of $1,618.

Where is rent cheaper than Brown Deer for a bus driver?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Madison ($1,616/mo), River Falls ($1,613/mo), Madison ($1,613/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 Brown Deer, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.