Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Hattiesburg, MS?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.9% of gross income.

Hattiesburg rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).

Hattiesburg median rent
$1,402/mo
Police Officer salary (Mississippi)
$62,589/yr
Rent as % of income
26.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,216, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,565/mo in rent. Hattiesburg's median rent of $1,402 leaves roughly $163/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 46.6 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 Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Hattiesburg, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Gulfport, MS
$1,399/mo (26.8% of income)
Ridgeland, MS
$1,398/mo (26.8% of income)
Gulfport, MS
$1,397/mo (26.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hattiesburg

View full rent data for Hattiesburg, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Hattiesburg, MS?

Median rent in Hattiesburg is $1,402 a month. A typical police officer in Mississippi earns about $62,589 a year, which makes that rent 26.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Hattiesburg?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Mississippi (~$62,589/yr) supports up to $1,565 a month in rent. Hattiesburg's current median rent is $1,402/mo, which leaves a $163/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a police officer in Mississippi works roughly 46.6 hours a month to cover Hattiesburg's median rent of $1,402.

Where is rent cheaper than Hattiesburg for a police officer?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Gulfport ($1,399/mo), Ridgeland ($1,398/mo), Gulfport ($1,397/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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