Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lafayette, CO?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.3% of gross income.

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

Lafayette median rent
$2,250/mo
Police Officer salary (Colorado)
$81,134/yr
Rent as % of income
33.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,761, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,028/mo in rent. Lafayette's median rent of $2,250 exceeds that threshold by $222/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 57.7 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 Lafayette, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Morrison, CO
$2,248/mo (33.2% of income)
Morrison, CO
$2,248/mo (33.2% of income)
Morrison, CO
$2,247/mo (33.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lafayette

View full rent data for Lafayette, CO

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Lafayette, CO?

Median rent in Lafayette is $2,250 a month. A typical police officer in Colorado earns about $81,134 a year, which makes that rent 33.3% 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 Lafayette?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Colorado (~$81,134/yr) supports up to $2,028 a month in rent. Lafayette's current median rent is $2,250/mo, which is $222/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Colorado works roughly 57.7 hours a month to cover Lafayette's median rent of $2,250.

Where is rent cheaper than Lafayette for a police officer?

Nearby Colorado cities with lower median rent include Morrison ($2,248/mo), Morrison ($2,248/mo), Morrison ($2,247/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 Lafayette, CO. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.