Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Monroe, MI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18.7% of gross income.

Monroe rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Michigan state estimate).

Monroe median rent
$1,153/mo
Police Officer salary (Michigan)
$74,179/yr
Rent as % of income
18.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,182, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,854/mo in rent. Monroe's median rent of $1,153 leaves roughly $701/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 32.3 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 Michigan cities have lower median rent than Monroe, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Muskegon, MI
$1,151/mo (18.6% of income)
Southfield, MI
$1,149/mo (18.6% of income)
Muskegon, MI
$1,148/mo (18.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Monroe

View full rent data for Monroe, MI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Monroe, MI?

Median rent in Monroe is $1,153 a month. A typical police officer in Michigan earns about $74,179 a year, which makes that rent 18.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Monroe?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Michigan (~$74,179/yr) supports up to $1,854 a month in rent. Monroe's current median rent is $1,153/mo, which leaves a $701/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Michigan works roughly 32.3 hours a month to cover Monroe's median rent of $1,153.

Where is rent cheaper than Monroe for a police officer?

Nearby Michigan cities with lower median rent include Muskegon ($1,151/mo), Southfield ($1,149/mo), Muskegon ($1,148/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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