Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Idaho Falls, ID?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.8% of gross income.

Idaho Falls rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Idaho state estimate).

Idaho Falls median rent
$1,423/mo
Police Officer salary (Idaho)
$68,770/yr
Rent as % of income
24.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,731, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,719/mo in rent. Idaho Falls's median rent of $1,423 leaves roughly $296/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43 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 Idaho cities have lower median rent than Idaho Falls, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Lewiston, ID
$1,419/mo (24.8% of income)
Meridian, ID
$1,404/mo (24.5% of income)
Post Falls, ID
$1,392/mo (24.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Idaho Falls

View full rent data for Idaho Falls, ID

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Idaho Falls, ID?

Median rent in Idaho Falls is $1,423 a month. A typical police officer in Idaho earns about $68,770 a year, which makes that rent 24.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Idaho Falls?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Idaho (~$68,770/yr) supports up to $1,719 a month in rent. Idaho Falls's current median rent is $1,423/mo, which leaves a $296/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Idaho works roughly 43 hours a month to cover Idaho Falls's median rent of $1,423.

Where is rent cheaper than Idaho Falls for a police officer?

Nearby Idaho cities with lower median rent include Lewiston ($1,419/mo), Meridian ($1,404/mo), Post Falls ($1,392/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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