Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Gretna, LA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.3% of gross income.

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

Gretna median rent
$1,641/mo
Police Officer salary (Louisiana)
$67,225/yr
Rent as % of income
29.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,602, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,681/mo in rent. Gretna's median rent of $1,641 leaves roughly $40/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 50.8 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 Gretna, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Ponchatoula, LA
$1,639/mo (29.3% of income)
New Orleans, LA
$1,637/mo (29.2% of income)
New Orleans, LA
$1,636/mo (29.2% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Gretna

View full rent data for Gretna, LA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Gretna, LA?

Median rent in Gretna is $1,641 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 29.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Gretna?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Gretna's current median rent is $1,641/mo, which leaves a $40/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 50.8 hours a month to cover Gretna's median rent of $1,641.

Where is rent cheaper than Gretna for a police officer?

Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Ponchatoula ($1,639/mo), New Orleans ($1,637/mo), New Orleans ($1,636/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 Gretna, LA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.