Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Metzger, OR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.7% of gross income.

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

Metzger median rent
$1,452/mo
Police Officer salary (Oregon)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
21.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Metzger's median rent of $1,452 leaves roughly $557/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 37.6 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 Metzger, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Roseburg, OR
$1,448/mo (21.6% of income)
Astoria, OR
$1,447/mo (21.6% of income)
Roseburg, OR
$1,447/mo (21.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Metzger

View full rent data for Metzger, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Metzger, OR?

Median rent in Metzger is $1,452 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 21.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Metzger?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Metzger's current median rent is $1,452/mo, which leaves a $557/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 37.6 hours a month to cover Metzger's median rent of $1,452.

Where is rent cheaper than Metzger for a police officer?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Roseburg ($1,448/mo), Astoria ($1,447/mo), Roseburg ($1,447/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 Metzger, OR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.