Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Durango, CO?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.5% of gross income.

Durango rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).

Durango median rent
$1,997/mo
Police Officer salary (Colorado)
$81,134/yr
Rent as % of income
29.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,761, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,028/mo in rent. Durango's median rent of $1,997 leaves roughly $31/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 51.2 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 Durango, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Monument, CO
$1,996/mo (29.5% of income)
Greenwood Village, CO
$1,995/mo (29.5% of income)
Lafayette, CO
$1,994/mo (29.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Durango

View full rent data for Durango, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Durango, CO?

Median rent in Durango is $1,997 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 29.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Durango?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Colorado (~$81,134/yr) supports up to $2,028 a month in rent. Durango's current median rent is $1,997/mo, which leaves a $31/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Colorado works roughly 51.2 hours a month to cover Durango's median rent of $1,997.

Where is rent cheaper than Durango for a police officer?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Monument ($1,996/mo), Greenwood Village ($1,995/mo), Lafayette ($1,994/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 Durango, CO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.