Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Denver, NC?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.5% of gross income.
Denver rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Carolina 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 North Carolina cities have lower median rent than Denver, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Denver
View full rent data for Denver, NC →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Denver, NC?
Median rent in Denver is $1,788 a month. A typical police officer in North Carolina earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 29.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Denver?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Carolina (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Denver's current median rent is $1,788/mo, which leaves a $28/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Denver?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in North Carolina works roughly 51.2 hours a month to cover Denver's median rent of $1,788.
Where is rent cheaper than Denver for a police officer?
Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include Sneads Ferry ($1,787/mo), Mount Holly ($1,787/mo), Southern Pines ($1,787/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.