Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wildwood, FL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.4% of gross income.

Wildwood rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Wildwood median rent
$1,702/mo
Police Officer salary (Florida)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
28.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Wildwood's median rent of $1,702 leaves roughly $95/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 49.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a police officer salary

The gap between a police officer's base pay and the rent in the city they patrol is a widely tracked local affordability question. Many large-city departments now publish recruitment materials that include a local-rent comparison, because affordability has become a recruiting issue. At the national-average officer base pay, the 30% rule supports about $1,932 a month in rent. The per-city pages combine local rent with local officer-pay estimates to show where rent stays within that range.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Florida cities have lower median rent than Wildwood, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Bartow, FL
$1,701/mo (28.4% of income)
Cantonment, FL
$1,701/mo (28.4% of income)
Fort Walton Beach, FL
$1,700/mo (28.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wildwood

View full rent data for Wildwood, FL →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Wildwood, FL?

Median rent in Wildwood is $1,702 a month. A typical police officer in Florida earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 28.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Wildwood?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Florida (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Wildwood's current median rent is $1,702/mo, which leaves a $95/mo buffer.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Wildwood?

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Florida works roughly 49.3 hours a month to cover Wildwood's median rent of $1,702.

Where is rent cheaper than Wildwood for a police officer?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Bartow ($1,701/mo), Cantonment ($1,701/mo), Fort Walton Beach ($1,700/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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