Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in East Chicago, IN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.2% of gross income.
East Chicago rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Indiana 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 Indiana cities have lower median rent than East Chicago, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for East Chicago
View full rent data for East Chicago, IN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in East Chicago, IN?
Median rent in East Chicago is $1,019 a month. A typical police officer in Indiana earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 17.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in East Chicago?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Indiana (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. East Chicago's current median rent is $1,019/mo, which leaves a $758/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in East Chicago?
At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Indiana works roughly 29.8 hours a month to cover East Chicago's median rent of $1,019.
Where is rent cheaper than East Chicago for a police officer?
Nearby Indiana cities with lower median rent include Kokomo ($1,017/mo), Kokomo ($1,017/mo), Evansville ($1,015/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.