Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Opelousas, LA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 15.9% of gross income.
Opelousas rent: July 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 Opelousas, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Opelousas
View full rent data for Opelousas, LA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Opelousas, LA?
Median rent in Opelousas is $888 a month. A typical police officer in Louisiana earns about $67,225 a year, which makes that rent 15.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Opelousas?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Louisiana (~$67,225/yr) supports up to $1,681 a month in rent. Opelousas's current median rent is $888/mo, which leaves a $793/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Opelousas?
At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in Louisiana works roughly 27.5 hours a month to cover Opelousas's median rent of $888.
Where is rent cheaper than Opelousas for a police officer?
Nearby Louisiana cities with lower median rent include Shreveport ($870/mo), Lake Charles ($868/mo), Monroe ($867/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.