Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Basalt, CO?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 56.2% of gross income.
Basalt rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado 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 Colorado cities have lower median rent than Basalt, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Basalt
View full rent data for Basalt, CO →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Basalt, CO?
Median rent in Basalt is $3,800 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 56.2% 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 Basalt?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Colorado (~$81,134/yr) supports up to $2,028 a month in rent. Basalt's current median rent is $3,800/mo, which is $1,772/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Basalt?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Colorado works roughly 97.4 hours a month to cover Basalt's median rent of $3,800.
Where is rent cheaper than Basalt for a police officer?
Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Vail ($3,773/mo), Vail ($3,749/mo), Vail ($3,719/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.