Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Saint Helens, OR?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.8% of gross income.
Saint Helens 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 Saint Helens, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Saint Helens
View full rent data for Saint Helens, OR →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Saint Helens, OR?
Median rent in Saint Helens is $1,660 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 24.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Saint Helens?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Saint Helens's current median rent is $1,660/mo, which leaves a $349/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Saint Helens?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 43 hours a month to cover Saint Helens's median rent of $1,660.
Where is rent cheaper than Saint Helens for a police officer?
Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Hermiston ($1,657/mo), Medford ($1,656/mo), McMinnville ($1,656/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.