Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in East Alton, IL?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 13.7% of gross income.
East Alton rent: August 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 East Alton, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for East Alton
View full rent data for East Alton, IL →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in East Alton, IL?
Median rent in East Alton is $900 a month. A typical police officer in Illinois earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 13.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in East Alton?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Illinois (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. East Alton's current median rent is $900/mo, which leaves a $1,070/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in East Alton?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Illinois works roughly 23.8 hours a month to cover East Alton's median rent of $900.
Where is rent cheaper than East Alton for a police officer?
Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Rantoul ($898/mo), Rantoul ($896/mo), Rantoul ($895/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.