Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Butte, MT?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 31.6% of gross income.

Butte rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Montana state estimate).

Butte median rent
$1,314/mo
Truck Driver salary (Montana)
$49,905/yr
Rent as % of income
31.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,159, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,248/mo in rent. Butte's median rent of $1,314 exceeds that threshold by $66/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 54.8 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 Montana cities have lower median rent than Butte, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Great Falls, MT
$1,312/mo (31.5% of income)
Great Falls, MT
$1,308/mo (31.5% of income)
Great Falls, MT
$1,293/mo (31.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Butte

View full rent data for Butte, MT

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Butte, MT?

Median rent in Butte is $1,314 a month. A typical truck driver in Montana earns about $49,905 a year, which makes that rent 31.6% 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 Butte?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Montana (~$49,905/yr) supports up to $1,248 a month in rent. Butte's current median rent is $1,314/mo, which is $66/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $24 an hour, a truck driver in Montana works roughly 54.8 hours a month to cover Butte's median rent of $1,314.

Where is rent cheaper than Butte for a truck driver?

Nearby Montana cities with lower median rent include Great Falls ($1,312/mo), Great Falls ($1,308/mo), Great Falls ($1,293/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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