Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Meadville, PA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 13.8% of gross income.

Meadville rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Meadville median rent
$879/mo
Police Officer salary (Pennsylvania)
$76,497/yr
Rent as % of income
13.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,375, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,912/mo in rent. Meadville's median rent of $879 leaves roughly $1,033/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 23.9 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Meadville, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Johnstown, PA
$875/mo (13.7% of income)
Washington, PA
$874/mo (13.7% of income)
Sharon, PA
$873/mo (13.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Meadville

View full rent data for Meadville, PA →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Meadville, PA?

Median rent in Meadville is $879 a month. A typical police officer in Pennsylvania earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 13.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Meadville?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Pennsylvania (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Meadville's current median rent is $879/mo, which leaves a $1,033/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Pennsylvania works roughly 23.9 hours a month to cover Meadville's median rent of $879.

Where is rent cheaper than Meadville for a police officer?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Johnstown ($875/mo), Washington ($874/mo), Sharon ($873/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Pennsylvania state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Meadville, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.