Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Montgomery, AL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.3% of gross income.
Montgomery rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alabama state estimate).
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 Montgomery, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Montgomery
View full rent data for Montgomery, AL →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Montgomery, AL?
Median rent in Montgomery is $1,343 a month. A typical police officer in Alabama earns about $66,452 a year, which makes that rent 24.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Montgomery?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alabama (~$66,452/yr) supports up to $1,661 a month in rent. Montgomery's current median rent is $1,343/mo, which leaves a $318/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Montgomery?
At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Alabama works roughly 42 hours a month to cover Montgomery's median rent of $1,343.
Where is rent cheaper than Montgomery for a police officer?
Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Fultondale ($1,342/mo), Bessemer ($1,341/mo), Huntsville ($1,338/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.