Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Dickinson, ND?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.5% of gross income.

Dickinson rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Dakota state estimate).

Dickinson median rent
$1,278/mo
Police Officer salary (North Dakota)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
20.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Dickinson's median rent of $1,278 leaves roughly $596/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 35.5 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 Dakota cities have lower median rent than Dickinson, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Bismarck, ND
$1,277/mo (20.4% of income)
Williston, ND
$1,277/mo (20.4% of income)
Bismarck, ND
$1,271/mo (20.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Dickinson

View full rent data for Dickinson, ND

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Dickinson, ND?

Median rent in Dickinson is $1,278 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 20.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Dickinson?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Dakota (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Dickinson's current median rent is $1,278/mo, which leaves a $596/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in North Dakota works roughly 35.5 hours a month to cover Dickinson's median rent of $1,278.

Where is rent cheaper than Dickinson for a police officer?

Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Bismarck ($1,277/mo), Williston ($1,277/mo), Bismarck ($1,271/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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