Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bella Vista, AR?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.7% of gross income.

Bella Vista rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas state estimate).

Bella Vista median rent
$1,799/mo
Police Officer salary (Arkansas)
$64,134/yr
Rent as % of income
33.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,345, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,603/mo in rent. Bella Vista's median rent of $1,799 exceeds that threshold by $196/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 58.3 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 Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Bella Vista, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Farmington, AR
$1,786/mo (33.4% of income)
Farmington, AR
$1,783/mo (33.4% of income)
Farmington, AR
$1,777/mo (33.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bella Vista

View full rent data for Bella Vista, AR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Bella Vista, AR?

Median rent in Bella Vista is $1,799 a month. A typical police officer in Arkansas earns about $64,134 a year, which makes that rent 33.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Bella Vista?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Arkansas (~$64,134/yr) supports up to $1,603 a month in rent. Bella Vista's current median rent is $1,799/mo, which is $196/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, a police officer in Arkansas works roughly 58.3 hours a month to cover Bella Vista's median rent of $1,799.

Where is rent cheaper than Bella Vista for a police officer?

Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include Farmington ($1,786/mo), Farmington ($1,783/mo), Farmington ($1,777/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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