Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bend, OR?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.1% of gross income.
Bend rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Oregon state estimate).
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 Bend, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bend
View full rent data for Bend, OR →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Bend, OR?
Median rent in Bend is $2,284 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 34.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Bend?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Bend's current median rent is $2,284/mo, which is $275/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Bend?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 59.1 hours a month to cover Bend's median rent of $2,284.
Where is rent cheaper than Bend for a police officer?
Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Sisters ($2,283/mo), Sisters ($2,281/mo), Garden Home-Whitford ($2,281/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.