Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wasilla, AK?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.6% of gross income.

Wasilla rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alaska state estimate).

Wasilla median rent
$1,843/mo
Police Officer salary (Alaska)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
25.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Wasilla's median rent of $1,843 leaves roughly $321/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 44.3 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 Wasilla, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Fairbanks, AK
$1,837/mo (25.5% of income)
Anchorage, AK
$1,837/mo (25.5% of income)
Fairbanks, AK
$1,835/mo (25.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wasilla

View full rent data for Wasilla, AK →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Wasilla, AK?

Median rent in Wasilla is $1,843 a month. A typical police officer in Alaska earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 25.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Wasilla?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alaska (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Wasilla's current median rent is $1,843/mo, which leaves a $321/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Alaska works roughly 44.3 hours a month to cover Wasilla's median rent of $1,843.

Where is rent cheaper than Wasilla for a police officer?

Nearby Alaska cities with lower median rent include Fairbanks ($1,837/mo), Anchorage ($1,837/mo), Fairbanks ($1,835/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 Wasilla, AK. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.