Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Federal Heights, CO?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.3% of gross income.

Federal Heights rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Colorado state estimate).

Federal Heights median rent
$1,505/mo
Police Officer salary (Colorado)
$81,134/yr
Rent as % of income
22.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,761, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,028/mo in rent. Federal Heights's median rent of $1,505 leaves roughly $523/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 38.6 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 Federal Heights, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Cortez, CO
$1,492/mo (22.1% of income)
Englewood, CO
$1,487/mo (22% of income)
Greeley, CO
$1,487/mo (22% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Federal Heights

View full rent data for Federal Heights, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Federal Heights, CO?

Median rent in Federal Heights is $1,505 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 22.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Federal Heights?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Colorado (~$81,134/yr) supports up to $2,028 a month in rent. Federal Heights's current median rent is $1,505/mo, which leaves a $523/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Colorado works roughly 38.6 hours a month to cover Federal Heights's median rent of $1,505.

Where is rent cheaper than Federal Heights for a police officer?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Cortez ($1,492/mo), Englewood ($1,487/mo), Greeley ($1,487/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 Federal Heights, CO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.