Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Mountlake Terrace, WA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.3% of gross income.

Mountlake Terrace rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington state estimate).

Mountlake Terrace median rent
$2,078/mo
Truck Driver salary (Washington)
$63,515/yr
Rent as % of income
39.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,293, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,588/mo in rent. Mountlake Terrace's median rent of $2,078 exceeds that threshold by $490/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 68.1 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 Washington cities have lower median rent than Mountlake Terrace, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Clover Creek, WA
$2,077/mo (39.2% of income)
Tukwila, WA
$2,076/mo (39.2% of income)
Sumner, WA
$2,076/mo (39.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Mountlake Terrace

View full rent data for Mountlake Terrace, WA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Mountlake Terrace, WA?

Median rent in Mountlake Terrace is $2,078 a month. A typical truck driver in Washington earns about $63,515 a year, which makes that rent 39.3% 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 Mountlake Terrace?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Washington (~$63,515/yr) supports up to $1,588 a month in rent. Mountlake Terrace's current median rent is $2,078/mo, which is $490/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, a truck driver in Washington works roughly 68.1 hours a month to cover Mountlake Terrace's median rent of $2,078.

Where is rent cheaper than Mountlake Terrace for a truck driver?

Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Clover Creek ($2,077/mo), Tukwila ($2,076/mo), Sumner ($2,076/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

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