Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Tracy, CA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.8% of gross income.

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

Tracy median rent
$2,717/mo
Police Officer salary (California)
$91,179/yr
Rent as % of income
35.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,598, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,279/mo in rent. Tracy's median rent of $2,717 exceeds that threshold by $438/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 62 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 Tracy, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Belmont, CA
$2,716/mo (35.7% of income)
Imperial Beach, CA
$2,716/mo (35.7% of income)
Cathedral City, CA
$2,716/mo (35.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tracy

View full rent data for Tracy, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Tracy, CA?

Median rent in Tracy is $2,717 a month. A typical police officer in California earns about $91,179 a year, which makes that rent 35.8% 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 Tracy?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in California (~$91,179/yr) supports up to $2,279 a month in rent. Tracy's current median rent is $2,717/mo, which is $438/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $44 an hour, a police officer in California works roughly 62 hours a month to cover Tracy's median rent of $2,717.

Where is rent cheaper than Tracy for a police officer?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Belmont ($2,716/mo), Imperial Beach ($2,716/mo), Cathedral City ($2,716/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 Tracy, CA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.