Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lake Oswego, OR?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.7% of gross income.

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

Lake Oswego median rent
$2,258/mo
Police Officer salary (Oregon)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
33.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Lake Oswego's median rent of $2,258 exceeds that threshold by $249/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 58.4 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 Lake Oswego, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Sandy, OR
$2,253/mo (33.6% of income)
West Linn, OR
$2,251/mo (33.6% of income)
West Linn, OR
$2,251/mo (33.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lake Oswego

View full rent data for Lake Oswego, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Lake Oswego, OR?

Median rent in Lake Oswego is $2,258 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 33.7% 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 Lake Oswego?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Lake Oswego's current median rent is $2,258/mo, which is $249/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 58.4 hours a month to cover Lake Oswego's median rent of $2,258.

Where is rent cheaper than Lake Oswego for a police officer?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Sandy ($2,253/mo), West Linn ($2,251/mo), West Linn ($2,251/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 Lake Oswego, OR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.