Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Tallahassee, FL?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.2% of gross income.

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

Tallahassee median rent
$1,507/mo
Police Officer salary (Florida)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
25.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Tallahassee's median rent of $1,507 leaves roughly $290/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.6 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 Tallahassee, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Lake Placid, FL
$1,506/mo (25.1% of income)
Holly Hill, FL
$1,506/mo (25.1% of income)
Lady Lake, FL
$1,504/mo (25.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tallahassee

View full rent data for Tallahassee, FL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Tallahassee, FL?

Median rent in Tallahassee is $1,507 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 Tallahassee?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Florida (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Tallahassee's current median rent is $1,507/mo, which leaves a $290/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Florida works roughly 43.6 hours a month to cover Tallahassee's median rent of $1,507.

Where is rent cheaper than Tallahassee for a police officer?

Nearby Florida cities with lower median rent include Lake Placid ($1,506/mo), Holly Hill ($1,506/mo), Lady Lake ($1,504/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 Tallahassee, FL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.