Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Cleveland Heights, OH?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.6% of gross income.

Cleveland Heights rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Cleveland Heights median rent
$1,490/mo
Police Officer salary (Ohio)
$72,634/yr
Rent as % of income
24.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,053, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,816/mo in rent. Cleveland Heights's median rent of $1,490 leaves roughly $326/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 42.7 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 Ohio cities have lower median rent than Cleveland Heights, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Marysville, OH
$1,489/mo (24.6% of income)
Marysville, OH
$1,489/mo (24.6% of income)
Mentor, OH
$1,488/mo (24.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cleveland Heights

View full rent data for Cleveland Heights, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Cleveland Heights, OH?

Median rent in Cleveland Heights is $1,490 a month. A typical police officer in Ohio earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 24.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Cleveland Heights?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Ohio (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Cleveland Heights's current median rent is $1,490/mo, which leaves a $326/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Ohio works roughly 42.7 hours a month to cover Cleveland Heights's median rent of $1,490.

Where is rent cheaper than Cleveland Heights for a police officer?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Marysville ($1,489/mo), Marysville ($1,489/mo), Mentor ($1,488/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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