Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Baltimore, MD?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.2% of gross income.

Baltimore rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland state estimate).

Baltimore median rent
$1,799/mo
Truck Driver salary (Maryland)
$61,247/yr
Rent as % of income
35.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,104, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,531/mo in rent. Baltimore's median rent of $1,799 exceeds that threshold by $268/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 61.1 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Baltimore, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Owings Mills, MD
$1,798/mo (35.2% of income)
Belcamp, MD
$1,797/mo (35.2% of income)
Abingdon, MD
$1,796/mo (35.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Baltimore

View full rent data for Baltimore, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Baltimore, MD?

Median rent in Baltimore is $1,799 a month. A typical truck driver in Maryland earns about $61,247 a year, which makes that rent 35.2% 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 Baltimore?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Maryland (~$61,247/yr) supports up to $1,531 a month in rent. Baltimore's current median rent is $1,799/mo, which is $268/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a truck driver in Maryland works roughly 61.1 hours a month to cover Baltimore's median rent of $1,799.

Where is rent cheaper than Baltimore for a truck driver?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Owings Mills ($1,798/mo), Belcamp ($1,797/mo), Abingdon ($1,796/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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