Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Fayetteville, AR?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.2% of gross income.

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

Fayetteville median rent
$1,720/mo
Police Officer salary (Arkansas)
$64,134/yr
Rent as % of income
32.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,345, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,603/mo in rent. Fayetteville's median rent of $1,720 exceeds that threshold by $117/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 55.8 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 Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Fayetteville, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Gentry, AR
$1,719/mo (32.2% of income)
Farmington, AR
$1,715/mo (32.1% of income)
Hot Springs Village, AR
$1,713/mo (32.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fayetteville

View full rent data for Fayetteville, AR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Fayetteville, AR?

Median rent in Fayetteville is $1,720 a month. A typical police officer in Arkansas earns about $64,134 a year, which makes that rent 32.2% 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 Fayetteville?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Arkansas (~$64,134/yr) supports up to $1,603 a month in rent. Fayetteville's current median rent is $1,720/mo, which is $117/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, a police officer in Arkansas works roughly 55.8 hours a month to cover Fayetteville's median rent of $1,720.

Where is rent cheaper than Fayetteville for a police officer?

Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include Gentry ($1,719/mo), Farmington ($1,715/mo), Hot Springs Village ($1,713/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 Fayetteville, AR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.