Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Denver, CO?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.8% of gross income.
Denver rent: June 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 Denver, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Denver
View full rent data for Denver, CO →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Denver, CO?
Median rent in Denver is $1,877 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 27.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Denver?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Colorado (~$81,134/yr) supports up to $2,028 a month in rent. Denver's current median rent is $1,877/mo, which leaves a $151/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Denver?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Colorado works roughly 48.1 hours a month to cover Denver's median rent of $1,877.
Where is rent cheaper than Denver for a police officer?
Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Thornton ($1,876/mo), Longmont ($1,875/mo), Thornton ($1,875/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.