Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Fairlawn, OH?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.1% of gross income.

Fairlawn rent: February 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Fairlawn median rent
$1,337/mo
Police Officer salary (Ohio)
$72,634/yr
Rent as % of income
22.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,053, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,816/mo in rent. Fairlawn's median rent of $1,337 leaves roughly $479/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 38.3 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 Fairlawn, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Xenia, OH
$1,336/mo (22.1% of income)
Troy, OH
$1,335/mo (22.1% of income)
Cleveland, OH
$1,335/mo (22.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fairlawn

View full rent data for Fairlawn, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Fairlawn, OH?

Median rent in Fairlawn is $1,337 a month. A typical police officer in Ohio earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 22.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Fairlawn?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Ohio (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Fairlawn's current median rent is $1,337/mo, which leaves a $479/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Ohio works roughly 38.3 hours a month to cover Fairlawn's median rent of $1,337.

Where is rent cheaper than Fairlawn for a police officer?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Xenia ($1,336/mo), Troy ($1,335/mo), Cleveland ($1,335/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 Fairlawn, OH. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.