Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Essex, MD?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.5% of gross income.

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

Essex median rent
$1,352/mo
Truck Driver salary (Maryland)
$61,247/yr
Rent as % of income
26.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,104, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,531/mo in rent. Essex's median rent of $1,352 leaves roughly $179/mo of headroom under that threshold. A truck driver works roughly 45.9 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 Essex, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Hagerstown, MD
$1,348/mo (26.4% of income)
Hagerstown, MD
$1,345/mo (26.4% of income)
Hagerstown, MD
$1,344/mo (26.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Essex

View full rent data for Essex, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Essex, MD?

Median rent in Essex is $1,352 a month. A typical truck driver in Maryland earns about $61,247 a year, which makes that rent 26.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Essex?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Maryland (~$61,247/yr) supports up to $1,531 a month in rent. Essex's current median rent is $1,352/mo, which leaves a $179/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a truck driver in Maryland works roughly 45.9 hours a month to cover Essex's median rent of $1,352.

Where is rent cheaper than Essex for a truck driver?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Hagerstown ($1,348/mo), Hagerstown ($1,345/mo), Hagerstown ($1,344/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 Essex, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.