Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bethlehem, GA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.9% of gross income.

Bethlehem rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Georgia state estimate).

Bethlehem median rent
$2,135/mo
Police Officer salary (Georgia)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
34.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. Bethlehem's median rent of $2,135 exceeds that threshold by $300/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 60.5 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 Georgia cities have lower median rent than Bethlehem, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Locust Grove, GA
$2,134/mo (34.9% of income)
Dawsonville, GA
$2,134/mo (34.9% of income)
Acworth, GA
$2,132/mo (34.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bethlehem

View full rent data for Bethlehem, GA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Bethlehem, GA?

Median rent in Bethlehem is $2,135 a month. A typical police officer in Georgia earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 34.9% 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 Bethlehem?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Georgia (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Bethlehem's current median rent is $2,135/mo, which is $300/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Georgia works roughly 60.5 hours a month to cover Bethlehem's median rent of $2,135.

Where is rent cheaper than Bethlehem for a police officer?

Nearby Georgia cities with lower median rent include Locust Grove ($2,134/mo), Dawsonville ($2,134/mo), Acworth ($2,132/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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