Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Fargo, ND?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.4% of gross income.
Fargo rent: June 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 Fargo, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Fargo
View full rent data for Fargo, ND →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Fargo, ND?
Median rent in Fargo is $1,088 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 17.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Fargo?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Dakota (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Fargo's current median rent is $1,088/mo, which leaves a $786/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Fargo?
At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in North Dakota works roughly 30.2 hours a month to cover Fargo's median rent of $1,088.
Where is rent cheaper than Fargo for a police officer?
Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Minot ($1,086/mo), Mandan ($1,074/mo), Mandan ($1,060/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.