Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Great Falls, MT?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.5% of gross income.
Great Falls 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 Great Falls, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Great Falls
View full rent data for Great Falls, MT →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Great Falls, MT?
Median rent in Great Falls is $1,388 a month. A typical police officer in Montana earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 24.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Great Falls?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Montana (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Great Falls's current median rent is $1,388/mo, which leaves a $312/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Great Falls?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in Montana works roughly 42.5 hours a month to cover Great Falls's median rent of $1,388.
Where is rent cheaper than Great Falls for a police officer?
Nearby Montana cities with lower median rent include Livingston ($1,383/mo), Billings ($1,383/mo), Billings ($1,374/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.