Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in State College, PA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.4% of gross income.

State College rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

State College median rent
$1,888/mo
Truck Driver salary (Pennsylvania)
$56,143/yr
Rent as % of income
40.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,679, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,404/mo in rent. State College's median rent of $1,888 exceeds that threshold by $484/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 69.9 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than State College, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Wyncote, PA
$1,887/mo (40.3% of income)
Whitehall, PA
$1,887/mo (40.3% of income)
North Wales, PA
$1,886/mo (40.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for State College

View full rent data for State College, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in State College, PA?

Median rent in State College is $1,888 a month. A typical truck driver in Pennsylvania earns about $56,143 a year, which makes that rent 40.4% 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 State College?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Pennsylvania (~$56,143/yr) supports up to $1,404 a month in rent. State College's current median rent is $1,888/mo, which is $484/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $27 an hour, a truck driver in Pennsylvania works roughly 69.9 hours a month to cover State College's median rent of $1,888.

Where is rent cheaper than State College for a truck driver?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Wyncote ($1,887/mo), Whitehall ($1,887/mo), North Wales ($1,886/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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