Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Itasca, IL?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.9% of gross income.

Itasca rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Itasca median rent
$2,228/mo
Police Officer salary (Illinois)
$78,815/yr
Rent as % of income
33.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,568, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,970/mo in rent. Itasca's median rent of $2,228 exceeds that threshold by $258/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 58.8 hours a month to cover that rent.

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 Itasca, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Mundelein, IL
$2,225/mo (33.9% of income)
Vernon Hills, IL
$2,223/mo (33.8% of income)
Mundelein, IL
$2,222/mo (33.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Itasca

View full rent data for Itasca, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Itasca, IL?

Median rent in Itasca is $2,228 a month. A typical police officer in Illinois earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 33.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Itasca?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Illinois (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Itasca's current median rent is $2,228/mo, which is $258/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Itasca?

At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Illinois works roughly 58.8 hours a month to cover Itasca's median rent of $2,228.

Where is rent cheaper than Itasca for a police officer?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Mundelein ($2,225/mo), Vernon Hills ($2,223/mo), Mundelein ($2,222/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Illinois state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Itasca, IL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.