Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Kettering, OH?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.9% of gross income.

Kettering rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Kettering median rent
$1,328/mo
Police Officer salary (Ohio)
$72,634/yr
Rent as % of income
21.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,053, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,816/mo in rent. Kettering's median rent of $1,328 leaves roughly $488/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 38 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 Kettering, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Whitehall, OH
$1,327/mo (21.9% of income)
Xenia, OH
$1,327/mo (21.9% of income)
Norwood, OH
$1,325/mo (21.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kettering

View full rent data for Kettering, OH

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Kettering, OH?

Median rent in Kettering is $1,328 a month. A typical police officer in Ohio earns about $72,634 a year, which makes that rent 21.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Kettering?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Ohio (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Kettering's current median rent is $1,328/mo, which leaves a $488/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Ohio works roughly 38 hours a month to cover Kettering's median rent of $1,328.

Where is rent cheaper than Kettering for a police officer?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Whitehall ($1,327/mo), Xenia ($1,327/mo), Norwood ($1,325/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 Kettering, OH. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.