Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Kihei, HI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 54.2% of gross income.

Kihei rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Hawaii state estimate).

Kihei median rent
$3,766/mo
Police Officer salary (Hawaii)
$83,452/yr
Rent as % of income
54.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,954, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,086/mo in rent. Kihei's median rent of $3,766 exceeds that threshold by $1,680/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 93.9 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 Hawaii cities have lower median rent than Kihei, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Kailua, HI
$3,732/mo (53.7% of income)
Kailua Kona, HI
$3,725/mo (53.6% of income)
Kailua, HI
$3,724/mo (53.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kihei

View full rent data for Kihei, HI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Kihei, HI?

Median rent in Kihei is $3,766 a month. A typical police officer in Hawaii earns about $83,452 a year, which makes that rent 54.2% 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 Kihei?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Hawaii (~$83,452/yr) supports up to $2,086 a month in rent. Kihei's current median rent is $3,766/mo, which is $1,680/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a police officer in Hawaii works roughly 93.9 hours a month to cover Kihei's median rent of $3,766.

Where is rent cheaper than Kihei for a police officer?

Nearby Hawaii cities with lower median rent include Kailua ($3,732/mo), Kailua Kona ($3,725/mo), Kailua ($3,724/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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