Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Flagstaff, AZ?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.9% of gross income.

Flagstaff rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arizona state estimate).

Flagstaff median rent
$2,117/mo
Police Officer salary (Arizona)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
33.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Flagstaff's median rent of $2,117 exceeds that threshold by $243/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 58.7 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 Arizona cities have lower median rent than Flagstaff, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Fountain Hills, AZ
$2,116/mo (33.9% of income)
Scottsdale, AZ
$2,113/mo (33.8% of income)
Scottsdale, AZ
$2,101/mo (33.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Flagstaff

View full rent data for Flagstaff, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Flagstaff, AZ?

Median rent in Flagstaff is $2,117 a month. A typical police officer in Arizona earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 33.9% 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 Flagstaff?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Arizona (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Flagstaff's current median rent is $2,117/mo, which is $243/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Arizona works roughly 58.7 hours a month to cover Flagstaff's median rent of $2,117.

Where is rent cheaper than Flagstaff for a police officer?

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Fountain Hills ($2,116/mo), Scottsdale ($2,113/mo), Scottsdale ($2,101/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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