Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Bristol, VA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.5% of gross income.

Bristol rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Virginia state estimate).

Bristol median rent
$1,376/mo
Truck Driver salary (Virginia)
$57,844/yr
Rent as % of income
28.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,820, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,446/mo in rent. Bristol's median rent of $1,376 leaves roughly $70/mo of headroom under that threshold. A truck driver works roughly 49.5 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 Virginia cities have lower median rent than Bristol, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Staunton, VA
$1,373/mo (28.5% of income)
Lexington, VA
$1,373/mo (28.5% of income)
Hopewell, VA
$1,370/mo (28.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bristol

View full rent data for Bristol, VA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Bristol, VA?

Median rent in Bristol is $1,376 a month. A typical truck driver in Virginia earns about $57,844 a year, which makes that rent 28.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Bristol?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Virginia (~$57,844/yr) supports up to $1,446 a month in rent. Bristol's current median rent is $1,376/mo, which leaves a $70/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a truck driver in Virginia works roughly 49.5 hours a month to cover Bristol's median rent of $1,376.

Where is rent cheaper than Bristol for a truck driver?

Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Staunton ($1,373/mo), Lexington ($1,373/mo), Hopewell ($1,370/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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