Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Murray, KY?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.6% of gross income.

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

Murray median rent
$1,112/mo
Police Officer salary (Kentucky)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
19.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Murray's median rent of $1,112 leaves roughly $588/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 34 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 Murray, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Richmond, KY
$1,108/mo (19.6% of income)
Frankfort, KY
$1,102/mo (19.4% of income)
Paris, KY
$1,096/mo (19.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Murray

View full rent data for Murray, KY

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Murray, KY?

Median rent in Murray is $1,112 a month. A typical police officer in Kentucky earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 19.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Murray?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Kentucky (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Murray's current median rent is $1,112/mo, which leaves a $588/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Kentucky works roughly 34 hours a month to cover Murray's median rent of $1,112.

Where is rent cheaper than Murray for a police officer?

Nearby Kentucky cities with lower median rent include Richmond ($1,108/mo), Frankfort ($1,102/mo), Paris ($1,096/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 Murray, KY. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.