Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Dothan, AL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.8% of gross income.

Dothan rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alabama state estimate).

Dothan median rent
$1,207/mo
Police Officer salary (Alabama)
$66,452/yr
Rent as % of income
21.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,538, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,661/mo in rent. Dothan's median rent of $1,207 leaves roughly $454/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 37.8 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 Alabama cities have lower median rent than Dothan, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Florence, AL
$1,206/mo (21.8% of income)
Florence, AL
$1,206/mo (21.8% of income)
Hueytown, AL
$1,205/mo (21.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dothan

View full rent data for Dothan, AL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Dothan, AL?

Median rent in Dothan is $1,207 a month. A typical police officer in Alabama earns about $66,452 a year, which makes that rent 21.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Dothan?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alabama (~$66,452/yr) supports up to $1,661 a month in rent. Dothan's current median rent is $1,207/mo, which leaves a $454/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Alabama works roughly 37.8 hours a month to cover Dothan's median rent of $1,207.

Where is rent cheaper than Dothan for a police officer?

Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Florence ($1,206/mo), Florence ($1,206/mo), Hueytown ($1,205/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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