Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in El Centro, CA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.7% of gross income.
El Centro 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 El Centro, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for El Centro
View full rent data for El Centro, CA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in El Centro, CA?
Median rent in El Centro is $1,573 a month. A typical police officer in California earns about $91,179 a year, which makes that rent 20.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in El Centro?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in California (~$91,179/yr) supports up to $2,279 a month in rent. El Centro's current median rent is $1,573/mo, which leaves a $706/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in El Centro?
At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a police officer in California works roughly 35.9 hours a month to cover El Centro's median rent of $1,573.
Where is rent cheaper than El Centro for a police officer?
Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Arcata ($1,571/mo), Paradise ($1,570/mo), Joshua Tree ($1,569/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.