Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Tiffin, IA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 31.5% of gross income.

Tiffin rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Iowa state estimate).

Tiffin median rent
$1,864/mo
Police Officer salary (Iowa)
$71,088/yr
Rent as % of income
31.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,924, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,777/mo in rent. Tiffin's median rent of $1,864 exceeds that threshold by $87/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 54.5 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 Iowa cities have lower median rent than Tiffin, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Waukee, IA
$1,665/mo (28.1% of income)
North Liberty, IA
$1,655/mo (27.9% of income)
Altoona, IA
$1,639/mo (27.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Tiffin

View full rent data for Tiffin, IA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Tiffin, IA?

Median rent in Tiffin is $1,864 a month. A typical police officer in Iowa earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 31.5% 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 Tiffin?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Iowa (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Tiffin's current median rent is $1,864/mo, which is $87/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Iowa works roughly 54.5 hours a month to cover Tiffin's median rent of $1,864.

Where is rent cheaper than Tiffin for a police officer?

Nearby Iowa cities with lower median rent include Waukee ($1,665/mo), North Liberty ($1,655/mo), Altoona ($1,639/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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