Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Pensacola, FL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.4% of gross income.

Pensacola rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Florida state estimate).

Pensacola median rent
$1,640/mo
Police Officer salary (Florida)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
27.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Pensacola's median rent of $1,640 leaves roughly $157/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 47.5 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 Pensacola, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Englewood, FL
$1,639/mo (27.4% of income)
The Hammocks, FL
$1,639/mo (27.4% of income)
Pine Hills, FL
$1,638/mo (27.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pensacola

View full rent data for Pensacola, FL →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Pensacola, FL?

Median rent in Pensacola is $1,640 a month. A typical police officer in Florida earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 27.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Pensacola?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Florida (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Pensacola's current median rent is $1,640/mo, which leaves a $157/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Florida works roughly 47.5 hours a month to cover Pensacola's median rent of $1,640.

Where is rent cheaper than Pensacola for a police officer?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Englewood ($1,639/mo), The Hammocks ($1,639/mo), Pine Hills ($1,638/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 Pensacola, FL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.