Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lafayette, LA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.7% of gross income.
Lafayette rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Louisiana state estimate).
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 Lafayette, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Lafayette
View full rent data for Lafayette, LA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Lafayette, LA?
Median rent in Lafayette is $1,329 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 23.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Lafayette?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Lafayette's current median rent is $1,329/mo, which leaves a $352/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Lafayette?
At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 41.1 hours a month to cover Lafayette's median rent of $1,329.
Where is rent cheaper than Lafayette for a police officer?
Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Houma ($1,327/mo), Chalmette ($1,325/mo), Houma ($1,318/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.