Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Cleveland, OH?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.5% of gross income.
Cleveland rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio 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 Ohio cities have lower median rent than Cleveland, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Cleveland
View full rent data for Cleveland, OH →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Cleveland, OH?
Median rent in Cleveland is $1,424 a month. A typical police officer in Ohio earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 23.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Cleveland?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Ohio (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Cleveland's current median rent is $1,424/mo, which leaves a $392/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Cleveland?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Ohio works roughly 40.8 hours a month to cover Cleveland's median rent of $1,424.
Where is rent cheaper than Cleveland for a police officer?
Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Cleveland Heights ($1,423/mo), Hamilton ($1,423/mo), Hamilton ($1,423/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.