Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Emporia, KS?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 14.8% of gross income.
Emporia rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kansas 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 Kansas cities have lower median rent than Emporia, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Emporia
View full rent data for Emporia, KS →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Emporia, KS?
Median rent in Emporia is $860 a month. A typical police officer in Kansas earns about $69,543 a year, which makes that rent 14.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Emporia?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Kansas (~$69,543/yr) supports up to $1,739 a month in rent. Emporia's current median rent is $860/mo, which leaves a $879/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Emporia?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Kansas works roughly 25.7 hours a month to cover Emporia's median rent of $860.
Where is rent cheaper than Emporia for a police officer?
Nearby Kansas cities with lower median rent include Pittsburg ($859/mo), Manhattan ($855/mo), Hutchinson ($853/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.