Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wahpeton, ND?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 14.5% of gross income.

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

Wahpeton median rent
$903/mo
Police Officer salary (North Dakota)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
14.5%
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 $903 leaves roughly $971/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 25.1 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:

Jamestown, ND
$890/mo (14.2% of income)
Grand Forks, ND
$884/mo (14.2% of income)
Fargo, ND
$874/mo (14% 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 $903 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 14.5% 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 $903/mo, which leaves a $971/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 25.1 hours a month to cover Wahpeton's median rent of $903.

Where is rent cheaper than Wahpeton for a police officer?

Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Jamestown ($890/mo), Grand Forks ($884/mo), Fargo ($874/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.