Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Dayton, KY?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33% of gross income.

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

Dayton median rent
$1,869/mo
Police Officer salary (Kentucky)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
33%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Dayton's median rent of $1,869 exceeds that threshold by $169/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 57.2 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 Kentucky cities have lower median rent than Dayton, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Versailles, KY
$1,822/mo (32.2% of income)
Versailles, KY
$1,807/mo (31.9% of income)
La Grange, KY
$1,795/mo (31.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dayton

View full rent data for Dayton, KY

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Dayton, KY?

Median rent in Dayton is $1,869 a month. A typical police officer in Kentucky earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 33% 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 Dayton?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Kentucky (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Dayton's current median rent is $1,869/mo, which is $169/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Kentucky works roughly 57.2 hours a month to cover Dayton's median rent of $1,869.

Where is rent cheaper than Dayton for a police officer?

Nearby Kentucky cities with lower median rent include Versailles ($1,822/mo), Versailles ($1,807/mo), La Grange ($1,795/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 Dayton, KY. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.