Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Talladega, AL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.6% of gross income.

Talladega rent: April 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alabama state estimate).

Talladega median rent
$1,088/mo
Police Officer salary (Alabama)
$66,452/yr
Rent as % of income
19.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,538, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,661/mo in rent. Talladega's median rent of $1,088 leaves roughly $573/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 34.1 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 Talladega, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Decatur, AL
$1,086/mo (19.6% of income)
Jacksonville, AL
$1,085/mo (19.6% of income)
Dothan, AL
$1,084/mo (19.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Talladega

View full rent data for Talladega, AL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Talladega, AL?

Median rent in Talladega is $1,088 a month. A typical police officer in Alabama earns about $66,452 a year, which makes that rent 19.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Talladega?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alabama (~$66,452/yr) supports up to $1,661 a month in rent. Talladega's current median rent is $1,088/mo, which leaves a $573/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Alabama works roughly 34.1 hours a month to cover Talladega's median rent of $1,088.

Where is rent cheaper than Talladega for a police officer?

Nearby Alabama cities with lower median rent include Decatur ($1,086/mo), Jacksonville ($1,085/mo), Dothan ($1,084/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 Talladega, AL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.