Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Barstow, CA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.7% of gross income.

Barstow rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

Barstow median rent
$1,322/mo
Truck Driver salary (California)
$66,918/yr
Rent as % of income
23.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,577, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,673/mo in rent. Barstow's median rent of $1,322 leaves roughly $351/mo of headroom under that threshold. A truck driver works roughly 41.1 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a truck driver salary

Truck driver pay covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost US metros and stretches thin in the highest-cost ones. Because many drivers can base anywhere along their route, the home-city rent decision has an outsized effect on take-home. At the national-average driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,418 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range and which push it out of reach.

Cheaper rent nearby

These California cities have lower median rent than Barstow, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Red Bluff, CA
$1,321/mo (23.7% of income)
Red Bluff, CA
$1,316/mo (23.6% of income)
Oroville, CA
$1,315/mo (23.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Barstow

View full rent data for Barstow, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Barstow, CA?

Median rent in Barstow is $1,322 a month. A typical truck driver in California earns about $66,918 a year, which makes that rent 23.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Barstow?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in California (~$66,918/yr) supports up to $1,673 a month in rent. Barstow's current median rent is $1,322/mo, which leaves a $351/mo buffer.

How many hours does a truck driver work to cover rent in Barstow?

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a truck driver in California works roughly 41.1 hours a month to cover Barstow's median rent of $1,322.

Where is rent cheaper than Barstow for a truck driver?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Red Bluff ($1,321/mo), Red Bluff ($1,316/mo), Oroville ($1,315/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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