Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Waycross, GA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.6% of gross income.

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

Waycross median rent
$1,200/mo
Police Officer salary (Georgia)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
19.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. Waycross's median rent of $1,200 leaves roughly $635/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 34 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 Waycross, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Columbus, GA
$1,199/mo (19.6% of income)
Macon, GA
$1,197/mo (19.6% of income)
Columbus, GA
$1,196/mo (19.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Waycross

View full rent data for Waycross, GA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Waycross, GA?

Median rent in Waycross is $1,200 a month. A typical police officer in Georgia earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 19.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Waycross?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Georgia (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Waycross's current median rent is $1,200/mo, which leaves a $635/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Georgia works roughly 34 hours a month to cover Waycross's median rent of $1,200.

Where is rent cheaper than Waycross for a police officer?

Nearby Georgia cities with lower median rent include Columbus ($1,199/mo), Macon ($1,197/mo), Columbus ($1,196/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 Waycross, GA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.