Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Chatham, IL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.9% of gross income.
Chatham rent: July 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 Chatham, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Chatham
View full rent data for Chatham, IL →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Chatham, IL?
Median rent in Chatham is $1,704 a month. A typical police officer in Illinois earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 25.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Chatham?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Illinois (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Chatham's current median rent is $1,704/mo, which leaves a $266/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Chatham?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Illinois works roughly 45 hours a month to cover Chatham's median rent of $1,704.
Where is rent cheaper than Chatham for a police officer?
Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Chicago ($1,703/mo), Calumet City ($1,702/mo), Evanston ($1,701/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.