Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Santa Monica, CA?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 46.3% of gross income.
Santa Monica rent: June 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 Santa Monica, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Santa Monica
View full rent data for Santa Monica, CA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Santa Monica, CA?
Median rent in Santa Monica is $3,517 a month. A typical police officer in California earns about $91,179 a year, which makes that rent 46.3% 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 Santa Monica?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in California (~$91,179/yr) supports up to $2,279 a month in rent. Santa Monica's current median rent is $3,517/mo, which is $1,238/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Santa Monica?
At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a police officer in California works roughly 80.2 hours a month to cover Santa Monica's median rent of $3,517.
Where is rent cheaper than Santa Monica for a police officer?
Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Granite Bay ($3,516/mo), Marina ($3,513/mo), Morgan Hill ($3,512/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.