Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lake in the Hills, IL?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.9% of gross income.

Lake in the Hills rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Illinois state estimate).

Lake in the Hills median rent
$2,160/mo
Police Officer salary (Illinois)
$78,815/yr
Rent as % of income
32.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,568, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,970/mo in rent. Lake in the Hills's median rent of $2,160 exceeds that threshold by $190/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 57 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 Lake in the Hills, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Buffalo Grove, IL
$2,159/mo (32.9% of income)
Vernon Hills, IL
$2,159/mo (32.9% of income)
Streamwood, IL
$2,158/mo (32.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lake in the Hills

View full rent data for Lake in the Hills, IL

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Lake in the Hills, IL?

Median rent in Lake in the Hills is $2,160 a month. A typical police officer in Illinois earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 32.9% 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 Lake in the Hills?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Illinois (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Lake in the Hills's current median rent is $2,160/mo, which is $190/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Lake in the Hills?

At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Illinois works roughly 57 hours a month to cover Lake in the Hills's median rent of $2,160.

Where is rent cheaper than Lake in the Hills for a police officer?

Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Buffalo Grove ($2,159/mo), Vernon Hills ($2,159/mo), Streamwood ($2,158/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 Lake in the Hills, IL. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.