Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Hammond, LA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.8% of gross income.

Hammond rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Louisiana state estimate).

Hammond median rent
$1,279/mo
Police Officer salary (Louisiana)
$67,225/yr
Rent as % of income
22.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,602, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,681/mo in rent. Hammond's median rent of $1,279 leaves roughly $402/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 39.6 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 Hammond, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Lake Charles, LA
$1,278/mo (22.8% of income)
Houma, LA
$1,275/mo (22.8% of income)
Monroe, LA
$1,275/mo (22.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hammond

View full rent data for Hammond, LA →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Hammond, LA?

Median rent in Hammond is $1,279 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 22.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Hammond?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Hammond's current median rent is $1,279/mo, which leaves a $402/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 39.6 hours a month to cover Hammond's median rent of $1,279.

Where is rent cheaper than Hammond for a police officer?

Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Lake Charles ($1,278/mo), Houma ($1,275/mo), Monroe ($1,275/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 Hammond, LA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.