Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Moscow, ID?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.3% of gross income.
Moscow 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 Moscow, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Moscow
View full rent data for Moscow, ID →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Moscow, ID?
Median rent in Moscow is $1,161 a month. A typical police officer in Idaho earns about $68,770 a year, which makes that rent 20.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Moscow?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Idaho (~$68,770/yr) supports up to $1,719 a month in rent. Moscow's current median rent is $1,161/mo, which leaves a $558/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Moscow?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Idaho works roughly 35.1 hours a month to cover Moscow's median rent of $1,161.
Where is rent cheaper than Moscow for a police officer?
Nearby Idaho cities with lower median rent include Rexburg ($1,144/mo), Lewiston ($1,143/mo), Rexburg ($1,124/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.