Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Martinsburg, WV?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 45% of gross income.

Martinsburg rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (West Virginia state estimate).

Martinsburg median rent
$1,651/mo
Bus Driver salary (West Virginia)
$44,047/yr
Rent as % of income
45%
Gross monthly income works out to about $3,671, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,101/mo in rent. Martinsburg's median rent of $1,651 exceeds that threshold by $550/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 78 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 West Virginia cities have lower median rent than Martinsburg, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Morgantown, WV
$1,562/mo (42.6% of income)
Morgantown, WV
$1,539/mo (41.9% of income)
Bridgeport, WV
$1,521/mo (41.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Martinsburg

View full rent data for Martinsburg, WV

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Martinsburg, WV?

Median rent in Martinsburg is $1,651 a month. A typical bus driver in West Virginia earns about $44,047 a year, which makes that rent 45% 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 Martinsburg?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in West Virginia (~$44,047/yr) supports up to $1,101 a month in rent. Martinsburg's current median rent is $1,651/mo, which is $550/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $21 an hour, a bus driver in West Virginia works roughly 78 hours a month to cover Martinsburg's median rent of $1,651.

Where is rent cheaper than Martinsburg for a bus driver?

Nearby West Virginia cities with lower median rent include Morgantown ($1,562/mo), Morgantown ($1,539/mo), Bridgeport ($1,521/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived West Virginia state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Martinsburg, WV. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.