Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Germantown, WI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.5% of gross income.

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

Germantown median rent
$1,662/mo
Bus Driver salary (Wisconsin)
$49,229/yr
Rent as % of income
40.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,102, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,231/mo in rent. Germantown's median rent of $1,662 exceeds that threshold by $431/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 70.2 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 Germantown, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Mount Pleasant, WI
$1,661/mo (40.5% of income)
River Falls, WI
$1,660/mo (40.5% of income)
Oak Creek, WI
$1,660/mo (40.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Germantown

View full rent data for Germantown, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Germantown, WI?

Median rent in Germantown is $1,662 a month. A typical bus driver in Wisconsin earns about $49,229 a year, which makes that rent 40.5% 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 Germantown?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Wisconsin (~$49,229/yr) supports up to $1,231 a month in rent. Germantown's current median rent is $1,662/mo, which is $431/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Wisconsin works roughly 70.2 hours a month to cover Germantown's median rent of $1,662.

Where is rent cheaper than Germantown for a bus driver?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Mount Pleasant ($1,661/mo), River Falls ($1,660/mo), Oak Creek ($1,660/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 Germantown, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.