Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Apex, NC?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.3% of gross income.

Apex rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Carolina state estimate).

Apex median rent
$2,017/mo
Police Officer salary (North Carolina)
$72,634/yr
Rent as % of income
33.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,053, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,816/mo in rent. Apex's median rent of $2,017 exceeds that threshold by $201/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 57.8 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 North Carolina cities have lower median rent than Apex, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Indian Trail, NC
$2,016/mo (33.3% of income)
Pinehurst, NC
$2,015/mo (33.3% of income)
Indian Trail, NC
$2,013/mo (33.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Apex

View full rent data for Apex, NC

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Apex, NC?

Median rent in Apex is $2,017 a month. A typical police officer in North Carolina earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 33.3% 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 Apex?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Carolina (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Apex's current median rent is $2,017/mo, which is $201/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in North Carolina works roughly 57.8 hours a month to cover Apex's median rent of $2,017.

Where is rent cheaper than Apex for a police officer?

Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include Indian Trail ($2,016/mo), Pinehurst ($2,015/mo), Indian Trail ($2,013/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived North Carolina state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Apex, NC. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.