Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Mishawaka, IN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.2% of gross income.

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

Mishawaka median rent
$1,196/mo
Police Officer salary (Indiana)
$71,088/yr
Rent as % of income
20.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,924, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,777/mo in rent. Mishawaka's median rent of $1,196 leaves roughly $581/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 35 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 Mishawaka, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

New Albany, IN
$1,194/mo (20.2% of income)
Fort Wayne, IN
$1,191/mo (20.1% of income)
Elkhart, IN
$1,189/mo (20.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Mishawaka

View full rent data for Mishawaka, IN →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Mishawaka, IN?

Median rent in Mishawaka is $1,196 a month. A typical police officer in Indiana earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 20.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Mishawaka?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Indiana (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Mishawaka's current median rent is $1,196/mo, which leaves a $581/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Indiana works roughly 35 hours a month to cover Mishawaka's median rent of $1,196.

Where is rent cheaper than Mishawaka for a police officer?

Nearby Indiana cities with lower median rent include New Albany ($1,194/mo), Fort Wayne ($1,191/mo), Elkhart ($1,189/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 Mishawaka, IN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.