Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Baker, LA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.5% of gross income.

Baker rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Louisiana state estimate).

Baker median rent
$1,146/mo
Police Officer salary (Louisiana)
$67,225/yr
Rent as % of income
20.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,602, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,681/mo in rent. Baker's median rent of $1,146 leaves roughly $535/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 35.5 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 Baker, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Shreveport, LA
$1,145/mo (20.4% of income)
Shreveport, LA
$1,145/mo (20.4% of income)
Covington, LA
$1,143/mo (20.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Baker

View full rent data for Baker, LA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Baker, LA?

Median rent in Baker is $1,146 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 20.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Baker?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Baker's current median rent is $1,146/mo, which leaves a $535/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 35.5 hours a month to cover Baker's median rent of $1,146.

Where is rent cheaper than Baker for a police officer?

Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Shreveport ($1,145/mo), Shreveport ($1,145/mo), Covington ($1,143/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 Baker, LA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.