Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Downey, CA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.7% of gross income.
Downey rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California 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 California cities have lower median rent than Downey, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Downey
View full rent data for Downey, CA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Downey, CA?
Median rent in Downey is $2,257 a month. A typical police officer in California earns about $91,179 a year, which makes that rent 29.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Downey?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in California (~$91,179/yr) supports up to $2,279 a month in rent. Downey's current median rent is $2,257/mo, which leaves a $22/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Downey?
At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a police officer in California works roughly 51.5 hours a month to cover Downey's median rent of $2,257.
Where is rent cheaper than Downey for a police officer?
Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Lodi ($2,256/mo), Hayward ($2,256/mo), Bellflower ($2,256/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.