Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lake Wales, FL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.2% of gross income.
Lake Wales rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida 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 Florida cities have lower median rent than Lake Wales, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Lake Wales
View full rent data for Lake Wales, FL →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Lake Wales, FL?
Median rent in Lake Wales is $1,512 a month. A typical police officer in Florida earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 25.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Lake Wales?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Florida (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Lake Wales's current median rent is $1,512/mo, which leaves a $285/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Lake Wales?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Florida works roughly 43.8 hours a month to cover Lake Wales's median rent of $1,512.
Where is rent cheaper than Lake Wales for a police officer?
Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Rockledge ($1,511/mo), Lake Placid ($1,511/mo), Eustis ($1,509/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.