Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Maryland Heights, MO?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.4% of gross income.

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

Maryland Heights median rent
$1,208/mo
Police Officer salary (Missouri)
$71,088/yr
Rent as % of income
20.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,924, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,777/mo in rent. Maryland Heights's median rent of $1,208 leaves roughly $569/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 35.3 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 Missouri cities have lower median rent than Maryland Heights, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Springfield, MO
$1,206/mo (20.4% of income)
Saint Ann, MO
$1,205/mo (20.3% of income)
Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO
$1,204/mo (20.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Maryland Heights

View full rent data for Maryland Heights, MO

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Maryland Heights, MO?

Median rent in Maryland Heights is $1,208 a month. A typical police officer in Missouri earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 20.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Maryland Heights?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Missouri (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Maryland Heights's current median rent is $1,208/mo, which leaves a $569/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Missouri works roughly 35.3 hours a month to cover Maryland Heights's median rent of $1,208.

Where is rent cheaper than Maryland Heights for a police officer?

Nearby Missouri cities with lower median rent include Springfield ($1,206/mo), Saint Ann ($1,205/mo), Bellefontaine Neighbors ($1,204/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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