Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Franklin, WI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 48% of gross income.

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

Franklin median rent
$1,968/mo
Bus Driver salary (Wisconsin)
$49,229/yr
Rent as % of income
48%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,102, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,231/mo in rent. Franklin's median rent of $1,968 exceeds that threshold by $737/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 83.2 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 Franklin, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Whitefish Bay, WI
$1,956/mo (47.7% of income)
Monona, WI
$1,954/mo (47.6% of income)
Brookfield, WI
$1,951/mo (47.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Franklin

View full rent data for Franklin, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Franklin, WI?

Median rent in Franklin is $1,968 a month. A typical bus driver in Wisconsin earns about $49,229 a year, which makes that rent 48% 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 Franklin?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Wisconsin (~$49,229/yr) supports up to $1,231 a month in rent. Franklin's current median rent is $1,968/mo, which is $737/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Wisconsin works roughly 83.2 hours a month to cover Franklin's median rent of $1,968.

Where is rent cheaper than Franklin for a bus driver?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Whitefish Bay ($1,956/mo), Monona ($1,954/mo), Brookfield ($1,951/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 Franklin, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.