Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Alexandria, LA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.7% of gross income.

Alexandria rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Louisiana state estimate).

Alexandria median rent
$1,157/mo
Police Officer salary (Louisiana)
$67,225/yr
Rent as % of income
20.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,602, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,681/mo in rent. Alexandria's median rent of $1,157 leaves roughly $524/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 35.8 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 Louisiana cities have lower median rent than Alexandria, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

West Monroe, LA
$1,154/mo (20.6% of income)
West Monroe, LA
$1,154/mo (20.6% of income)
Ruston, LA
$1,153/mo (20.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Alexandria

View full rent data for Alexandria, LA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Alexandria, LA?

Median rent in Alexandria is $1,157 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 20.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Alexandria?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Alexandria's current median rent is $1,157/mo, which leaves a $524/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 35.8 hours a month to cover Alexandria's median rent of $1,157.

Where is rent cheaper than Alexandria for a police officer?

Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include West Monroe ($1,154/mo), West Monroe ($1,154/mo), Ruston ($1,153/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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