Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Billings, MT?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.4% of gross income.
Billings rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Montana state estimate).
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 Montana cities have lower median rent than Billings, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Billings
View full rent data for Billings, MT →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Billings, MT?
Median rent in Billings is $1,437 a month. A typical police officer in Montana earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 25.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Billings?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Montana (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Billings's current median rent is $1,437/mo, which leaves a $263/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Billings?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Montana works roughly 44 hours a month to cover Billings's median rent of $1,437.
Where is rent cheaper than Billings for a police officer?
Nearby Montana cities with lower median rent include Missoula ($1,435/mo), Butte ($1,410/mo), Livingston ($1,406/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.