Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Carol Stream, IL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.7% of gross income.
Carol Stream rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois 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 Illinois cities have lower median rent than Carol Stream, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Carol Stream
View full rent data for Carol Stream, IL →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Carol Stream, IL?
Median rent in Carol Stream is $1,822 a month. A typical police officer in Illinois earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 27.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Carol Stream?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Illinois (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Carol Stream's current median rent is $1,822/mo, which leaves a $148/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Carol Stream?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Illinois works roughly 48.1 hours a month to cover Carol Stream's median rent of $1,822.
Where is rent cheaper than Carol Stream for a police officer?
Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Bensenville ($1,819/mo), Gurnee ($1,813/mo), Westmont ($1,812/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.