Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Urbandale, IA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.5% of gross income.

Urbandale rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Urbandale median rent
$1,197/mo
Truck Driver salary (Iowa)
$52,173/yr
Rent as % of income
27.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,348, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,304/mo in rent. Urbandale's median rent of $1,197 leaves roughly $107/mo of headroom under that threshold. A truck driver works roughly 47.7 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Urbandale, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Pleasant Hill, IA
$1,196/mo (27.5% of income)
Council Bluffs, IA
$1,195/mo (27.5% of income)
Coralville, IA
$1,191/mo (27.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Urbandale

View full rent data for Urbandale, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Urbandale, IA?

Median rent in Urbandale is $1,197 a month. A typical truck driver in Iowa earns about $52,173 a year, which makes that rent 27.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Urbandale?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Iowa (~$52,173/yr) supports up to $1,304 a month in rent. Urbandale's current median rent is $1,197/mo, which leaves a $107/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $25 an hour, a truck driver in Iowa works roughly 47.7 hours a month to cover Urbandale's median rent of $1,197.

Where is rent cheaper than Urbandale for a truck driver?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Pleasant Hill ($1,196/mo), Council Bluffs ($1,195/mo), Coralville ($1,191/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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