Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Ocean Springs, MS?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33% of gross income.

Ocean Springs rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).

Ocean Springs median rent
$1,723/mo
Police Officer salary (Mississippi)
$62,589/yr
Rent as % of income
33%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,216, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,565/mo in rent. Ocean Springs's median rent of $1,723 exceeds that threshold by $158/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 57.3 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 Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Ocean Springs, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Clinton, MS
$1,702/mo (32.6% of income)
Clinton, MS
$1,700/mo (32.6% of income)
Diberville, MS
$1,700/mo (32.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Ocean Springs

View full rent data for Ocean Springs, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Ocean Springs, MS?

Median rent in Ocean Springs is $1,723 a month. A typical police officer in Mississippi earns about $62,589 a year, which makes that rent 33% 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 Ocean Springs?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Mississippi (~$62,589/yr) supports up to $1,565 a month in rent. Ocean Springs's current median rent is $1,723/mo, which is $158/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a police officer in Mississippi works roughly 57.3 hours a month to cover Ocean Springs's median rent of $1,723.

Where is rent cheaper than Ocean Springs for a police officer?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Clinton ($1,702/mo), Clinton ($1,700/mo), Diberville ($1,700/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 Ocean Springs, MS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.