Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Molalla, OR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.8% of gross income.

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

Molalla median rent
$1,859/mo
Police Officer salary (Oregon)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
27.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Molalla's median rent of $1,859 leaves roughly $150/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 48.1 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 Molalla, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Gladstone, OR
$1,858/mo (27.7% of income)
Hillsboro, OR
$1,858/mo (27.7% of income)
Saint Helens, OR
$1,858/mo (27.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Molalla

View full rent data for Molalla, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Molalla, OR?

Median rent in Molalla is $1,859 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 27.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Molalla?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Molalla's current median rent is $1,859/mo, which leaves a $150/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 48.1 hours a month to cover Molalla's median rent of $1,859.

Where is rent cheaper than Molalla for a police officer?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Gladstone ($1,858/mo), Hillsboro ($1,858/mo), Saint Helens ($1,858/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 Molalla, OR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.