Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Los Alamos, NM?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 44.1% of gross income.
Los Alamos rent: September 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 Los Alamos, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Los Alamos
View full rent data for Los Alamos, NM →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Los Alamos, NM?
Median rent in Los Alamos is $2,554 a month. A typical police officer in New Mexico earns about $69,543 a year, which makes that rent 44.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Los Alamos?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Mexico (~$69,543/yr) supports up to $1,739 a month in rent. Los Alamos's current median rent is $2,554/mo, which is $815/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Los Alamos?
At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in New Mexico works roughly 76.4 hours a month to cover Los Alamos's median rent of $2,554.
Where is rent cheaper than Los Alamos for a police officer?
Nearby New Mexico cities with lower median rent include Artesia ($2,533/mo), Los Lunas ($2,216/mo), Los Lunas ($2,171/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.