Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Elmwood Park, IL?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.7% of gross income.

Elmwood Park rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Elmwood Park median rent
$1,671/mo
Truck Driver salary (Illinois)
$57,844/yr
Rent as % of income
34.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,820, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,446/mo in rent. Elmwood Park's median rent of $1,671 exceeds that threshold by $225/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 60.1 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 Illinois cities have lower median rent than Elmwood Park, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Washington, IL
$1,670/mo (34.6% of income)
O Fallon, IL
$1,669/mo (34.6% of income)
O Fallon, IL
$1,668/mo (34.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Elmwood Park

View full rent data for Elmwood Park, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Elmwood Park, IL?

Median rent in Elmwood Park is $1,671 a month. A typical truck driver in Illinois earns about $57,844 a year, which makes that rent 34.7% 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 Elmwood Park?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Illinois (~$57,844/yr) supports up to $1,446 a month in rent. Elmwood Park's current median rent is $1,671/mo, which is $225/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a truck driver in Illinois works roughly 60.1 hours a month to cover Elmwood Park's median rent of $1,671.

Where is rent cheaper than Elmwood Park for a truck driver?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Washington ($1,670/mo), O Fallon ($1,669/mo), O Fallon ($1,668/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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