Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Williston, ND?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.1% of gross income.

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

Williston median rent
$1,256/mo
Police Officer salary (North Dakota)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
20.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Williston's median rent of $1,256 leaves roughly $618/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 34.9 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 Williston, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Dickinson, ND
$1,255/mo (20.1% of income)
Bismarck, ND
$1,254/mo (20.1% of income)
Bismarck, ND
$1,250/mo (20% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Williston

View full rent data for Williston, ND

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Williston, ND?

Median rent in Williston is $1,256 a month. A typical police officer in North Dakota earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 20.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Williston?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in North Dakota (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Williston's current median rent is $1,256/mo, which leaves a $618/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in North Dakota works roughly 34.9 hours a month to cover Williston's median rent of $1,256.

Where is rent cheaper than Williston for a police officer?

Nearby North Dakota cities with lower median rent include Dickinson ($1,255/mo), Bismarck ($1,254/mo), Bismarck ($1,250/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 Williston, ND. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.