Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in The Dalles, OR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.4% of gross income.

The Dalles rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Oregon state estimate).

The Dalles median rent
$1,632/mo
Police Officer salary (Oregon)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
24.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. The Dalles's median rent of $1,632 leaves roughly $377/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 42.2 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 The Dalles, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Springfield, OR
$1,630/mo (24.3% of income)
Springfield, OR
$1,630/mo (24.3% of income)
Oregon City, OR
$1,629/mo (24.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for The Dalles

View full rent data for The Dalles, OR

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in The Dalles, OR?

Median rent in The Dalles is $1,632 a month. A typical police officer in Oregon earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 24.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in The Dalles?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Oregon (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. The Dalles's current median rent is $1,632/mo, which leaves a $377/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Oregon works roughly 42.2 hours a month to cover The Dalles's median rent of $1,632.

Where is rent cheaper than The Dalles for a police officer?

Nearby Oregon cities with lower median rent include Springfield ($1,630/mo), Springfield ($1,630/mo), Oregon City ($1,629/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 The Dalles, OR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.