Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Longboat Key, FL?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 137.1% of gross income.

Longboat Key rent: May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Longboat Key median rent
$8,209/mo
Police Officer salary (Florida)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
137.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Longboat Key's median rent of $8,209 exceeds that threshold by $6,412/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 237.6 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 Florida cities have lower median rent than Longboat Key, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Key Biscayne, FL
$8,143/mo (136% of income)
Palm Beach, FL
$7,765/mo (129.7% of income)
Key Biscayne, FL
$7,692/mo (128.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Longboat Key

View full rent data for Longboat Key, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Longboat Key, FL?

Median rent in Longboat Key is $8,209 a month. A typical police officer in Florida earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 137.1% 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 Longboat Key?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Florida (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Longboat Key's current median rent is $8,209/mo, which is $6,412/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Florida works roughly 237.6 hours a month to cover Longboat Key's median rent of $8,209.

Where is rent cheaper than Longboat Key for a police officer?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Key Biscayne ($8,143/mo), Palm Beach ($7,765/mo), Key Biscayne ($7,692/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Florida state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Longboat Key, FL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.