Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Castle Rock, CO?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.5% of gross income.

Castle Rock rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).

Castle Rock median rent
$2,333/mo
Police Officer salary (Colorado)
$81,134/yr
Rent as % of income
34.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,761, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,028/mo in rent. Castle Rock's median rent of $2,333 exceeds that threshold by $305/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 59.8 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 Colorado cities have lower median rent than Castle Rock, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Firestone, CO
$2,332/mo (34.5% of income)
Security-Widefield, CO
$2,294/mo (33.9% of income)
Security-Widefield, CO
$2,292/mo (33.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Castle Rock

View full rent data for Castle Rock, CO →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Castle Rock, CO?

Median rent in Castle Rock is $2,333 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 34.5% 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 Castle Rock?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Colorado (~$81,134/yr) supports up to $2,028 a month in rent. Castle Rock's current median rent is $2,333/mo, which is $305/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Colorado works roughly 59.8 hours a month to cover Castle Rock's median rent of $2,333.

Where is rent cheaper than Castle Rock for a police officer?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Firestone ($2,332/mo), Security-Widefield ($2,294/mo), Security-Widefield ($2,292/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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