Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Durham, NC?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.1% of gross income.
Durham 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 Durham, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Durham
View full rent data for Durham, NC →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Durham, NC?
Median rent in Durham is $1,700 a month. A typical police officer in North Carolina earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 28.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Durham?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Carolina (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Durham's current median rent is $1,700/mo, which leaves a $116/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Durham?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in North Carolina works roughly 48.7 hours a month to cover Durham's median rent of $1,700.
Where is rent cheaper than Durham for a police officer?
Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include Knightdale ($1,699/mo), Chapel Hill ($1,699/mo), Morehead City ($1,699/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.