Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wahiawa, HI?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.5% of gross income.

Wahiawa rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Hawaii state estimate).

Wahiawa median rent
$2,332/mo
Police Officer salary (Hawaii)
$83,452/yr
Rent as % of income
33.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,954, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,086/mo in rent. Wahiawa's median rent of $2,332 exceeds that threshold by $246/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 58.1 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 Wahiawa, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Pearl City, HI
$2,319/mo (33.3% of income)
Pearl City, HI
$2,304/mo (33.1% of income)
Pearl City, HI
$2,296/mo (33% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wahiawa

View full rent data for Wahiawa, HI →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Wahiawa, HI?

Median rent in Wahiawa is $2,332 a month. A typical police officer in Hawaii earns about $83,452 a year, which makes that rent 33.5% 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 Wahiawa?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Hawaii (~$83,452/yr) supports up to $2,086 a month in rent. Wahiawa's current median rent is $2,332/mo, which is $246/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a police officer in Hawaii works roughly 58.1 hours a month to cover Wahiawa's median rent of $2,332.

Where is rent cheaper than Wahiawa for a police officer?

Nearby Hawaii cities with lower median rent include Pearl City ($2,319/mo), Pearl City ($2,304/mo), Pearl City ($2,296/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 Wahiawa, HI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.