Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wahpeton, ND?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 14% of gross income.

Wahpeton rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (North Dakota state estimate).

Wahpeton median rent
$876/mo
Police Officer salary (North Dakota)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
14%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Wahpeton's median rent of $876 leaves roughly $998/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 24.3 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 Wahpeton, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Fargo, ND
$874/mo (14% of income)
Williston, ND
$839/mo (13.4% of income)
Fargo, ND
$835/mo (13.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wahpeton

View full rent data for Wahpeton, ND

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Wahpeton, ND?

Median rent in Wahpeton is $876 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 14% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Wahpeton?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Dakota (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Wahpeton's current median rent is $876/mo, which leaves a $998/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in North Dakota works roughly 24.3 hours a month to cover Wahpeton's median rent of $876.

Where is rent cheaper than Wahpeton for a police officer?

Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Fargo ($874/mo), Williston ($839/mo), Fargo ($835/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 Wahpeton, ND. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.