Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Kenai, AK?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.5% of gross income.

Kenai rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alaska state estimate).

Kenai median rent
$1,693/mo
Police Officer salary (Alaska)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
23.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Kenai's median rent of $1,693 leaves roughly $471/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 40.7 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 Alaska cities have lower median rent than Kenai, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Anchorage, AK
$1,692/mo (23.5% of income)
Wasilla, AK
$1,691/mo (23.4% of income)
Wasilla, AK
$1,690/mo (23.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kenai

View full rent data for Kenai, AK

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Kenai, AK?

Median rent in Kenai is $1,693 a month. A typical police officer in Alaska earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 23.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Kenai?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alaska (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Kenai's current median rent is $1,693/mo, which leaves a $471/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Alaska works roughly 40.7 hours a month to cover Kenai's median rent of $1,693.

Where is rent cheaper than Kenai for a police officer?

Nearby Alaska cities with lower median rent include Anchorage ($1,692/mo), Wasilla ($1,691/mo), Wasilla ($1,690/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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