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

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.3% of gross income.

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

Federal Heights median rent
$1,576/mo
Police Officer salary (Colorado)
$81,134/yr
Rent as % of income
23.3%
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 $1,576 leaves roughly $452/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 40.4 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:

Northglenn, CO
$1,574/mo (23.3% of income)
Cortez, CO
$1,569/mo (23.2% of income)
Lone Tree, CO
$1,567/mo (23.2% 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 $1,576 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 23.3% 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 $1,576/mo, which leaves a $452/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 40.4 hours a month to cover Federal Heights's median rent of $1,576.

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

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Northglenn ($1,574/mo), Cortez ($1,569/mo), Lone Tree ($1,567/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.