Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Jonesboro, GA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.4% of gross income.

Jonesboro rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Georgia state estimate).

Jonesboro median rent
$1,613/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. Jonesboro's median rent of $1,613 leaves roughly $222/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 45.7 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 Jonesboro, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Doraville, GA
$1,612/mo (26.4% of income)
Smyrna, GA
$1,612/mo (26.4% of income)
Gainesville, GA
$1,612/mo (26.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Jonesboro

View full rent data for Jonesboro, GA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Jonesboro, GA?

Median rent in Jonesboro is $1,613 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 Jonesboro?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Georgia (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Jonesboro's current median rent is $1,613/mo, which leaves a $222/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Georgia works roughly 45.7 hours a month to cover Jonesboro's median rent of $1,613.

Where is rent cheaper than Jonesboro for a police officer?

Nearby Georgia cities with lower median rent include Doraville ($1,612/mo), Smyrna ($1,612/mo), Gainesville ($1,612/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 Jonesboro, GA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.