Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lewiston, ID?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.1% of gross income.
Lewiston rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Idaho state estimate).
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 Lewiston, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Lewiston
View full rent data for Lewiston, ID →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Lewiston, ID?
Median rent in Lewiston is $1,321 a month. A typical police officer in Idaho earns about $68,770 a year, which makes that rent 23.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Lewiston?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Idaho (~$68,770/yr) supports up to $1,719 a month in rent. Lewiston's current median rent is $1,321/mo, which leaves a $398/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Lewiston?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Idaho works roughly 40 hours a month to cover Lewiston's median rent of $1,321.
Where is rent cheaper than Lewiston for a police officer?
Nearby Idaho cities with lower median rent include Idaho Falls ($1,320/mo), Idaho Falls ($1,319/mo), Idaho Falls ($1,318/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.