Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in San Pablo, CA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.7% of gross income.

San Pablo rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

San Pablo median rent
$2,255/mo
Police Officer salary (California)
$91,179/yr
Rent as % of income
29.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,598, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,279/mo in rent. San Pablo's median rent of $2,255 leaves roughly $24/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 51.4 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 California cities have lower median rent than San Pablo, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Whittier, CA
$2,254/mo (29.7% of income)
Shingle Springs, CA
$2,254/mo (29.7% of income)
Lompoc, CA
$2,254/mo (29.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for San Pablo

View full rent data for San Pablo, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in San Pablo, CA?

Median rent in San Pablo is $2,255 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 San Pablo?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in California (~$91,179/yr) supports up to $2,279 a month in rent. San Pablo's current median rent is $2,255/mo, which leaves a $24/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a police officer in California works roughly 51.4 hours a month to cover San Pablo's median rent of $2,255.

Where is rent cheaper than San Pablo for a police officer?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Whittier ($2,254/mo), Shingle Springs ($2,254/mo), Lompoc ($2,254/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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