Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bismarck, ND?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.7% of gross income.
Bismarck rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Dakota 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 Dakota cities have lower median rent than Bismarck, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bismarck
View full rent data for Bismarck, ND →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Bismarck, ND?
Median rent in Bismarck is $1,353 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 21.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Bismarck?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Dakota (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Bismarck's current median rent is $1,353/mo, which leaves a $521/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Bismarck?
At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in North Dakota works roughly 37.5 hours a month to cover Bismarck's median rent of $1,353.
Where is rent cheaper than Bismarck for a police officer?
Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include West Fargo ($1,350/mo), West Fargo ($1,336/mo), Watford City ($1,322/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.