Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Jamestown, ND?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.9% of gross income.

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

Jamestown median rent
$1,117/mo
Police Officer salary (North Dakota)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
17.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Jamestown's median rent of $1,117 leaves roughly $757/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 31 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 Jamestown, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Grand Forks, ND
$1,115/mo (17.9% of income)
Grand Forks, ND
$1,113/mo (17.8% of income)
Mandan, ND
$1,110/mo (17.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Jamestown

View full rent data for Jamestown, ND

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Jamestown, ND?

Median rent in Jamestown is $1,117 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 17.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Jamestown?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Dakota (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Jamestown's current median rent is $1,117/mo, which leaves a $757/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in North Dakota works roughly 31 hours a month to cover Jamestown's median rent of $1,117.

Where is rent cheaper than Jamestown for a police officer?

Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Grand Forks ($1,115/mo), Grand Forks ($1,113/mo), Mandan ($1,110/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 Jamestown, ND. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.