Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Newark, OH?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.5% of gross income.

Newark rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Ohio state estimate).

Newark median rent
$1,420/mo
Police Officer salary (Ohio)
$72,634/yr
Rent as % of income
23.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,053, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,816/mo in rent. Newark's median rent of $1,420 leaves roughly $396/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 40.7 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 Newark, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Troy, OH
$1,419/mo (23.4% of income)
North Canton, OH
$1,419/mo (23.4% of income)
Garfield Heights, OH
$1,419/mo (23.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Newark

View full rent data for Newark, OH →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Newark, OH?

Median rent in Newark is $1,420 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 Newark?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Ohio (~$72,634/yr) supports up to $1,816 a month in rent. Newark's current median rent is $1,420/mo, which leaves a $396/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Ohio works roughly 40.7 hours a month to cover Newark's median rent of $1,420.

Where is rent cheaper than Newark for a police officer?

Nearby Ohio cities with lower median rent include Troy ($1,419/mo), North Canton ($1,419/mo), Garfield Heights ($1,419/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 Newark, OH. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.