Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Chalmette, LA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.5% of gross income.

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

Chalmette median rent
$1,374/mo
Police Officer salary (Louisiana)
$67,225/yr
Rent as % of income
24.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,602, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,681/mo in rent. Chalmette's median rent of $1,374 leaves roughly $307/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 42.5 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 Chalmette, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Westlake, LA
$1,367/mo (24.4% of income)
Thibodaux, LA
$1,367/mo (24.4% of income)
Westlake, LA
$1,367/mo (24.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Chalmette

View full rent data for Chalmette, LA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Chalmette, LA?

Median rent in Chalmette is $1,374 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 24.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Chalmette?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Chalmette's current median rent is $1,374/mo, which leaves a $307/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 42.5 hours a month to cover Chalmette's median rent of $1,374.

Where is rent cheaper than Chalmette for a police officer?

Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Westlake ($1,367/mo), Thibodaux ($1,367/mo), Westlake ($1,367/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 Chalmette, LA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.