Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Emerson, GA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.4% of gross income.

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

Emerson median rent
$1,616/mo
Police Officer salary (Georgia)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
26.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. Emerson's median rent of $1,616 leaves roughly $219/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 Georgia cities have lower median rent than Emerson, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Duluth, GA
$1,615/mo (26.4% of income)
Duluth, GA
$1,615/mo (26.4% of income)
Smyrna, GA
$1,615/mo (26.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Emerson

View full rent data for Emerson, GA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Emerson, GA?

Median rent in Emerson is $1,616 a month. A typical police officer in Georgia earns about $73,407 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 Emerson?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Georgia (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Emerson's current median rent is $1,616/mo, which leaves a $219/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Georgia works roughly 45.8 hours a month to cover Emerson's median rent of $1,616.

Where is rent cheaper than Emerson for a police officer?

Nearby Georgia cities with lower median rent include Duluth ($1,615/mo), Duluth ($1,615/mo), Smyrna ($1,615/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 Emerson, GA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.