Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Burlington, KY?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.2% of gross income.

Burlington rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Kentucky state estimate).

Burlington median rent
$2,050/mo
Police Officer salary (Kentucky)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
36.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Burlington's median rent of $2,050 exceeds that threshold by $350/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 62.7 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 Kentucky cities have lower median rent than Burlington, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Independence, KY
$2,039/mo (36% of income)
Independence, KY
$2,038/mo (36% of income)
Independence, KY
$2,028/mo (35.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Burlington

View full rent data for Burlington, KY

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Burlington, KY?

Median rent in Burlington is $2,050 a month. A typical police officer in Kentucky earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 36.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Burlington?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Kentucky (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Burlington's current median rent is $2,050/mo, which is $350/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Kentucky works roughly 62.7 hours a month to cover Burlington's median rent of $2,050.

Where is rent cheaper than Burlington for a police officer?

Nearby Kentucky cities with lower median rent include Independence ($2,039/mo), Independence ($2,038/mo), Independence ($2,028/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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