Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in North Pole, AK?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25% of gross income.

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

North Pole median rent
$1,802/mo
Police Officer salary (Alaska)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
25%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. North Pole's median rent of $1,802 leaves roughly $362/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.3 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 Alaska cities have lower median rent than North Pole, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Fairbanks, AK
$1,796/mo (24.9% of income)
Fairbanks, AK
$1,794/mo (24.9% of income)
Fairbanks, AK
$1,790/mo (24.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for North Pole

View full rent data for North Pole, AK

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in North Pole, AK?

Median rent in North Pole is $1,802 a month. A typical police officer in Alaska earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 25% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in North Pole?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alaska (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. North Pole's current median rent is $1,802/mo, which leaves a $362/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Alaska works roughly 43.3 hours a month to cover North Pole's median rent of $1,802.

Where is rent cheaper than North Pole for a police officer?

Nearby Alaska cities with lower median rent include Fairbanks ($1,796/mo), Fairbanks ($1,794/mo), Fairbanks ($1,790/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 North Pole, AK. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.