Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Niles, MI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.7% of gross income.

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

Niles median rent
$1,094/mo
Police Officer salary (Michigan)
$74,179/yr
Rent as % of income
17.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,182, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,854/mo in rent. Niles's median rent of $1,094 leaves roughly $760/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 30.7 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 Niles, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Wyandotte, MI
$1,093/mo (17.7% of income)
Eastpointe, MI
$1,093/mo (17.7% of income)
Ecorse, MI
$1,089/mo (17.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Niles

View full rent data for Niles, MI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Niles, MI?

Median rent in Niles is $1,094 a month. A typical police officer in Michigan earns about $74,179 a year, which makes that rent 17.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Niles?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Michigan (~$74,179/yr) supports up to $1,854 a month in rent. Niles's current median rent is $1,094/mo, which leaves a $760/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Michigan works roughly 30.7 hours a month to cover Niles's median rent of $1,094.

Where is rent cheaper than Niles for a police officer?

Nearby Michigan cities with lower median rent include Wyandotte ($1,093/mo), Eastpointe ($1,093/mo), Ecorse ($1,089/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 Niles, MI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.