Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wilmington, NC?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.3% of gross income.
Wilmington rent: September 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 Wilmington, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Wilmington
View full rent data for Wilmington, NC →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Wilmington, NC?
Median rent in Wilmington is $1,713 a month. A typical police officer in North Carolina earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 28.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Wilmington?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Carolina (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Wilmington's current median rent is $1,713/mo, which leaves a $103/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Wilmington?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in North Carolina works roughly 49.1 hours a month to cover Wilmington's median rent of $1,713.
Where is rent cheaper than Wilmington for a police officer?
Nearby North Carolina cities with lower median rent include Chapel Hill ($1,712/mo), Charlotte ($1,712/mo), Sneads Ferry ($1,711/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.