Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lincoln, NE?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.5% of gross income.
Lincoln rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Nebraska 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 Nebraska cities have lower median rent than Lincoln, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Lincoln
View full rent data for Lincoln, NE →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Lincoln, NE?
Median rent in Lincoln is $1,345 a month. A typical police officer in Nebraska earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 22.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Lincoln?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Nebraska (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Lincoln's current median rent is $1,345/mo, which leaves a $452/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Lincoln?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Nebraska works roughly 38.9 hours a month to cover Lincoln's median rent of $1,345.
Where is rent cheaper than Lincoln for a police officer?
Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include La Vista ($1,341/mo), Bellevue ($1,340/mo), Bellevue ($1,339/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.