Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Olney, MD?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.3% of gross income.

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

Olney median rent
$2,803/mo
Police Officer salary (Maryland)
$83,452/yr
Rent as % of income
40.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,954, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,086/mo in rent. Olney's median rent of $2,803 exceeds that threshold by $717/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 69.9 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 Olney, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Derwood, MD
$2,797/mo (40.2% of income)
Derwood, MD
$2,788/mo (40.1% of income)
Chevy Chase, MD
$2,788/mo (40.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Olney

View full rent data for Olney, MD

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Olney, MD?

Median rent in Olney is $2,803 a month. A typical police officer in Maryland earns about $83,452 a year, which makes that rent 40.3% 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 Olney?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maryland (~$83,452/yr) supports up to $2,086 a month in rent. Olney's current median rent is $2,803/mo, which is $717/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a police officer in Maryland works roughly 69.9 hours a month to cover Olney's median rent of $2,803.

Where is rent cheaper than Olney for a police officer?

Nearby Maryland cities with lower median rent include Derwood ($2,797/mo), Derwood ($2,788/mo), Chevy Chase ($2,788/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 Olney, MD. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.