Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Norfolk, NE?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.5% of gross income.

Norfolk rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Nebraska state estimate).

Norfolk median rent
$1,286/mo
Police Officer salary (Nebraska)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
21.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Norfolk's median rent of $1,286 leaves roughly $511/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 37.2 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 Nebraska cities have lower median rent than Norfolk, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Lincoln, NE
$1,284/mo (21.4% of income)
Lincoln, NE
$1,281/mo (21.4% of income)
Lexington, NE
$1,280/mo (21.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Norfolk

View full rent data for Norfolk, NE

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Norfolk, NE?

Median rent in Norfolk is $1,286 a month. A typical police officer in Nebraska earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 21.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Norfolk?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Nebraska (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Norfolk's current median rent is $1,286/mo, which leaves a $511/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Nebraska works roughly 37.2 hours a month to cover Norfolk's median rent of $1,286.

Where is rent cheaper than Norfolk for a police officer?

Nearby Nebraska cities with lower median rent include Lincoln ($1,284/mo), Lincoln ($1,281/mo), Lexington ($1,280/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Nebraska state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Norfolk, NE. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.