Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Chevy Chase, MD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.1% of gross income.

Chevy Chase rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maryland state estimate).

Chevy Chase median rent
$2,788/mo
Police Officer salary (Maryland)
$83,452/yr
Rent as % of income
40.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,954, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,086/mo in rent. Chevy Chase's median rent of $2,788 exceeds that threshold by $702/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 69.5 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 Maryland cities have lower median rent than Chevy Chase, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Clinton, MD
$2,783/mo (40% of income)
Derwood, MD
$2,763/mo (39.7% of income)
Brandywine, MD
$2,749/mo (39.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Chevy Chase

View full rent data for Chevy Chase, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Chevy Chase, MD?

Median rent in Chevy Chase is $2,788 a month. A typical police officer in Maryland earns about $83,452 a year, which makes that rent 40.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Chevy Chase?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maryland (~$83,452/yr) supports up to $2,086 a month in rent. Chevy Chase's current median rent is $2,788/mo, which is $702/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a police officer in Maryland works roughly 69.5 hours a month to cover Chevy Chase's median rent of $2,788.

Where is rent cheaper than Chevy Chase for a police officer?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Clinton ($2,783/mo), Derwood ($2,763/mo), Brandywine ($2,749/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Maryland state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Chevy Chase, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.