Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 112.6% of gross income.

Carmel-by-the-Sea rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

Carmel-by-the-Sea median rent
$6,281/mo
Truck Driver salary (California)
$66,918/yr
Rent as % of income
112.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,577, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,673/mo in rent. Carmel-by-the-Sea's median rent of $6,281 exceeds that threshold by $4,608/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 195.2 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

San Marino, CA
$6,258/mo (112.2% of income)
San Marino, CA
$6,172/mo (110.7% of income)
San Marino, CA
$6,133/mo (110% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Carmel-by-the-Sea

View full rent data for Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA?

Median rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea is $6,281 a month. A typical truck driver in California earns about $66,918 a year, which makes that rent 112.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in California (~$66,918/yr) supports up to $1,673 a month in rent. Carmel-by-the-Sea's current median rent is $6,281/mo, which is $4,608/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a truck driver work to cover rent in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a truck driver in California works roughly 195.2 hours a month to cover Carmel-by-the-Sea's median rent of $6,281.

Where is rent cheaper than Carmel-by-the-Sea for a truck driver?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include San Marino ($6,258/mo), San Marino ($6,172/mo), San Marino ($6,133/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 Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.