Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Sun Prairie, WI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.4% of gross income.

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

Sun Prairie median rent
$1,659/mo
Bus Driver salary (Wisconsin)
$49,229/yr
Rent as % of income
40.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,102, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,231/mo in rent. Sun Prairie's median rent of $1,659 exceeds that threshold by $428/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 70.1 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 Sun Prairie, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Saint Francis, WI
$1,657/mo (40.4% of income)
Saukville, WI
$1,657/mo (40.4% of income)
Madison, WI
$1,656/mo (40.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Sun Prairie

View full rent data for Sun Prairie, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Sun Prairie, WI?

Median rent in Sun Prairie is $1,659 a month. A typical bus driver in Wisconsin earns about $49,229 a year, which makes that rent 40.4% 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 Sun Prairie?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Wisconsin (~$49,229/yr) supports up to $1,231 a month in rent. Sun Prairie's current median rent is $1,659/mo, which is $428/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a bus driver in Wisconsin works roughly 70.1 hours a month to cover Sun Prairie's median rent of $1,659.

Where is rent cheaper than Sun Prairie for a bus driver?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Saint Francis ($1,657/mo), Saukville ($1,657/mo), Madison ($1,656/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 Sun Prairie, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.