Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Queen Creek, AZ?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.9% of gross income.

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

Queen Creek median rent
$2,181/mo
Police Officer salary (Arizona)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
34.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Queen Creek's median rent of $2,181 exceeds that threshold by $307/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 60.5 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 Queen Creek, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Litchfield Park, AZ
$2,180/mo (34.9% of income)
Fountain Hills, AZ
$2,179/mo (34.9% of income)
Flagstaff, AZ
$2,178/mo (34.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Queen Creek

View full rent data for Queen Creek, AZ

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Queen Creek, AZ?

Median rent in Queen Creek is $2,181 a month. A typical police officer in Arizona earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 34.9% 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 Queen Creek?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Arizona (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Queen Creek's current median rent is $2,181/mo, which is $307/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Arizona works roughly 60.5 hours a month to cover Queen Creek's median rent of $2,181.

Where is rent cheaper than Queen Creek for a police officer?

Nearby Arizona cities with lower median rent include Litchfield Park ($2,180/mo), Fountain Hills ($2,179/mo), Flagstaff ($2,178/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 Queen Creek, AZ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.