Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Ocala, FL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.4% of gross income.

Ocala rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Ocala median rent
$1,582/mo
Police Officer salary (Florida)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
26.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Ocala's median rent of $1,582 leaves roughly $215/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 45.8 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 Ocala, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Temple Terrace, FL
$1,581/mo (26.4% of income)
Temple Terrace, FL
$1,580/mo (26.4% of income)
Leesburg, FL
$1,580/mo (26.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Ocala

View full rent data for Ocala, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Ocala, FL?

Median rent in Ocala is $1,582 a month. A typical police officer in Florida earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 26.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Ocala?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Florida (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Ocala's current median rent is $1,582/mo, which leaves a $215/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Florida works roughly 45.8 hours a month to cover Ocala's median rent of $1,582.

Where is rent cheaper than Ocala for a police officer?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Temple Terrace ($1,581/mo), Temple Terrace ($1,580/mo), Leesburg ($1,580/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 Ocala, FL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.