Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Chatham, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 61.8% of gross income.

Chatham rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Chatham median rent
$3,272/mo
Truck Driver salary (New Jersey)
$63,515/yr
Rent as % of income
61.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,293, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,588/mo in rent. Chatham's median rent of $3,272 exceeds that threshold by $1,684/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 107.2 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 New Jersey cities have lower median rent than Chatham, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Highlands, NJ
$3,267/mo (61.7% of income)
Morganville, NJ
$3,262/mo (61.6% of income)
Teaneck, NJ
$3,260/mo (61.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Chatham

View full rent data for Chatham, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Chatham, NJ?

Median rent in Chatham is $3,272 a month. A typical truck driver in New Jersey earns about $63,515 a year, which makes that rent 61.8% 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 Chatham?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in New Jersey (~$63,515/yr) supports up to $1,588 a month in rent. Chatham's current median rent is $3,272/mo, which is $1,684/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, a truck driver in New Jersey works roughly 107.2 hours a month to cover Chatham's median rent of $3,272.

Where is rent cheaper than Chatham for a truck driver?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Highlands ($3,267/mo), Morganville ($3,262/mo), Teaneck ($3,260/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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