Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Kokomo, IN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18.6% of gross income.

Kokomo rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Indiana state estimate).

Kokomo median rent
$1,099/mo
Police Officer salary (Indiana)
$71,088/yr
Rent as % of income
18.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,924, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,777/mo in rent. Kokomo's median rent of $1,099 leaves roughly $678/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 32.2 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 Kokomo, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Michigan City, IN
$1,097/mo (18.5% of income)
Goshen, IN
$1,096/mo (18.5% of income)
Shelbyville, IN
$1,095/mo (18.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kokomo

View full rent data for Kokomo, IN →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Kokomo, IN?

Median rent in Kokomo is $1,099 a month. A typical police officer in Indiana earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 18.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Kokomo?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Indiana (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Kokomo's current median rent is $1,099/mo, which leaves a $678/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Indiana works roughly 32.2 hours a month to cover Kokomo's median rent of $1,099.

Where is rent cheaper than Kokomo for a police officer?

Nearby Indiana cities with lower median rent include Michigan City ($1,097/mo), Goshen ($1,096/mo), Shelbyville ($1,095/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 Kokomo, IN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.