Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Clarksville, IN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21% of gross income.

Clarksville rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Indiana state estimate).

Clarksville median rent
$1,242/mo
Police Officer salary (Indiana)
$71,088/yr
Rent as % of income
21%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,924, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,777/mo in rent. Clarksville's median rent of $1,242 leaves roughly $535/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 36.3 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 Indiana cities have lower median rent than Clarksville, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Gary, IN
$1,240/mo (20.9% of income)
West Lafayette, IN
$1,240/mo (20.9% of income)
Lafayette, IN
$1,234/mo (20.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Clarksville

View full rent data for Clarksville, IN

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Clarksville, IN?

Median rent in Clarksville is $1,242 a month. A typical police officer in Indiana earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 21% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Clarksville?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Indiana (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Clarksville's current median rent is $1,242/mo, which leaves a $535/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Indiana works roughly 36.3 hours a month to cover Clarksville's median rent of $1,242.

Where is rent cheaper than Clarksville for a police officer?

Nearby Indiana cities with lower median rent include Gary ($1,240/mo), West Lafayette ($1,240/mo), Lafayette ($1,234/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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