Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Olive Branch, MS?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.4% of gross income.

Olive Branch rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).

Olive Branch median rent
$1,896/mo
Police Officer salary (Mississippi)
$62,589/yr
Rent as % of income
36.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,216, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,565/mo in rent. Olive Branch's median rent of $1,896 exceeds that threshold by $331/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 63 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 Olive Branch, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Brandon, MS
$1,857/mo (35.6% of income)
Ocean Springs, MS
$1,848/mo (35.4% of income)
Brandon, MS
$1,847/mo (35.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Olive Branch

View full rent data for Olive Branch, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Olive Branch, MS?

Median rent in Olive Branch is $1,896 a month. A typical police officer in Mississippi earns about $62,589 a year, which makes that rent 36.4% 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 Olive Branch?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Mississippi (~$62,589/yr) supports up to $1,565 a month in rent. Olive Branch's current median rent is $1,896/mo, which is $331/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a police officer in Mississippi works roughly 63 hours a month to cover Olive Branch's median rent of $1,896.

Where is rent cheaper than Olive Branch for a police officer?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Brandon ($1,857/mo), Ocean Springs ($1,848/mo), Brandon ($1,847/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 Olive Branch, MS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.