Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Hobbs, NM?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.8% of gross income.
Hobbs rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Mexico 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 New Mexico cities have lower median rent than Hobbs, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Hobbs
View full rent data for Hobbs, NM →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Hobbs, NM?
Median rent in Hobbs is $1,439 a month. A typical police officer in New Mexico earns about $69,543 a year, which makes that rent 24.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Hobbs?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Mexico (~$69,543/yr) supports up to $1,739 a month in rent. Hobbs's current median rent is $1,439/mo, which leaves a $300/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Hobbs?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in New Mexico works roughly 43 hours a month to cover Hobbs's median rent of $1,439.
Where is rent cheaper than Hobbs for a police officer?
Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Las Cruces ($1,435/mo), Las Cruces ($1,434/mo), Las Cruces ($1,424/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.