Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Orangeburg, SC?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.3% of gross income.

Orangeburg rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (South Carolina state estimate).

Orangeburg median rent
$1,152/mo
Police Officer salary (South Carolina)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
20.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Orangeburg's median rent of $1,152 leaves roughly $548/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 35.2 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 South Carolina cities have lower median rent than Orangeburg, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Greenville, SC
$1,149/mo (20.3% of income)
Newberry, SC
$1,144/mo (20.2% of income)
North Charleston, SC
$1,138/mo (20.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Orangeburg

View full rent data for Orangeburg, SC →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Orangeburg, SC?

Median rent in Orangeburg is $1,152 a month. A typical police officer in South Carolina earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 20.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Orangeburg?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in South Carolina (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Orangeburg's current median rent is $1,152/mo, which leaves a $548/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in South Carolina works roughly 35.2 hours a month to cover Orangeburg's median rent of $1,152.

Where is rent cheaper than Orangeburg for a police officer?

Nearby South Carolina cities with lower median rent include Greenville ($1,149/mo), Newberry ($1,144/mo), North Charleston ($1,138/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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