Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wilmette, IL?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 56.4% of gross income.
Wilmette 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 Wilmette, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Wilmette
View full rent data for Wilmette, IL →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Wilmette, IL?
Median rent in Wilmette is $3,703 a month. A typical police officer in Illinois earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 56.4% 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 Wilmette?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Illinois (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Wilmette's current median rent is $3,703/mo, which is $1,733/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Wilmette?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Illinois works roughly 97.7 hours a month to cover Wilmette's median rent of $3,703.
Where is rent cheaper than Wilmette for a police officer?
Nearby Illinois cities with lower median rent include Northbrook ($3,139/mo), Niles ($3,087/mo), Highland Park ($3,068/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.