Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Phenix City, AL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.8% of gross income.

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

Phenix City median rent
$1,372/mo
Police Officer salary (Alabama)
$66,452/yr
Rent as % of income
24.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,538, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,661/mo in rent. Phenix City's median rent of $1,372 leaves roughly $289/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 42.9 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 Phenix City, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Athens, AL
$1,371/mo (24.8% of income)
Hoover, AL
$1,368/mo (24.7% of income)
Athens, AL
$1,367/mo (24.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Phenix City

View full rent data for Phenix City, AL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Phenix City, AL?

Median rent in Phenix City is $1,372 a month. A typical police officer in Alabama earns about $66,452 a year, which makes that rent 24.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Phenix City?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alabama (~$66,452/yr) supports up to $1,661 a month in rent. Phenix City's current median rent is $1,372/mo, which leaves a $289/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Alabama works roughly 42.9 hours a month to cover Phenix City's median rent of $1,372.

Where is rent cheaper than Phenix City for a police officer?

Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Athens ($1,371/mo), Hoover ($1,368/mo), Athens ($1,367/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 Phenix City, AL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.