Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Van Buren, AR?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.1% of gross income.
Van Buren rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas 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 Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Van Buren, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Van Buren
View full rent data for Van Buren, AR →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Van Buren, AR?
Median rent in Van Buren is $1,019 a month. A typical police officer in Arkansas earns about $64,134 a year, which makes that rent 19.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Van Buren?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Arkansas (~$64,134/yr) supports up to $1,603 a month in rent. Van Buren's current median rent is $1,019/mo, which leaves a $584/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Van Buren?
At an hourly equivalent of about $31 an hour, a police officer in Arkansas works roughly 33 hours a month to cover Van Buren's median rent of $1,019.
Where is rent cheaper than Van Buren for a police officer?
Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include Fort Smith ($1,017/mo), Fort Smith ($1,017/mo), Fort Smith ($1,017/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.