Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bel Air, MD?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.7% of gross income.
Bel Air rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Bel Air, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bel Air
View full rent data for Bel Air, MD →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Bel Air, MD?
Median rent in Bel Air is $1,999 a month. A typical police officer in Maryland earns about $83,452 a year, which makes that rent 28.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Bel Air?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maryland (~$83,452/yr) supports up to $2,086 a month in rent. Bel Air's current median rent is $1,999/mo, which leaves a $87/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Bel Air?
At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a police officer in Maryland works roughly 49.8 hours a month to cover Bel Air's median rent of $1,999.
Where is rent cheaper than Bel Air for a police officer?
Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Oxon Hill ($1,998/mo), Silver Spring ($1,997/mo), Lutherville Timonium ($1,995/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.