Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Albany, OR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.5% of gross income.

Albany rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Oregon state estimate).

Albany median rent
$1,774/mo
Police Officer salary (Oregon)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
26.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Albany's median rent of $1,774 leaves roughly $235/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 45.9 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 Oregon cities have lower median rent than Albany, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Wilsonville, OR
$1,773/mo (26.5% of income)
Rockcreek, OR
$1,772/mo (26.5% of income)
Happy Valley, OR
$1,772/mo (26.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Albany

View full rent data for Albany, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Albany, OR?

Median rent in Albany is $1,774 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 26.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Albany?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Albany's current median rent is $1,774/mo, which leaves a $235/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 45.9 hours a month to cover Albany's median rent of $1,774.

Where is rent cheaper than Albany for a police officer?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Wilsonville ($1,773/mo), Rockcreek ($1,772/mo), Happy Valley ($1,772/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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