Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Ridgeland, MS?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.8% of gross income.

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

Ridgeland median rent
$1,451/mo
Police Officer salary (Mississippi)
$62,589/yr
Rent as % of income
27.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,216, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,565/mo in rent. Ridgeland's median rent of $1,451 leaves roughly $114/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 48.2 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 Ridgeland, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Pearl, MS
$1,448/mo (27.8% of income)
Gulf Hills, MS
$1,447/mo (27.7% of income)
Olive Branch, MS
$1,443/mo (27.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Ridgeland

View full rent data for Ridgeland, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Ridgeland, MS?

Median rent in Ridgeland is $1,451 a month. A typical police officer in Mississippi earns about $62,589 a year, which makes that rent 27.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Ridgeland?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Mississippi (~$62,589/yr) supports up to $1,565 a month in rent. Ridgeland's current median rent is $1,451/mo, which leaves a $114/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a police officer in Mississippi works roughly 48.2 hours a month to cover Ridgeland's median rent of $1,451.

Where is rent cheaper than Ridgeland for a police officer?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Pearl ($1,448/mo), Gulf Hills ($1,447/mo), Olive Branch ($1,443/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 Ridgeland, MS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.