Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Pawleys Island, SC?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.7% of gross income.

Pawleys Island rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (South Carolina state estimate).

Pawleys Island median rent
$2,025/mo
Police Officer salary (South Carolina)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
35.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Pawleys Island's median rent of $2,025 exceeds that threshold by $325/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 61.9 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 South Carolina cities have lower median rent than Pawleys Island, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Fountain Inn, SC
$2,019/mo (35.6% of income)
Fountain Inn, SC
$2,018/mo (35.6% of income)
Graniteville, SC
$2,018/mo (35.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Pawleys Island

View full rent data for Pawleys Island, SC

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Pawleys Island, SC?

Median rent in Pawleys Island is $2,025 a month. A typical police officer in South Carolina earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 35.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Pawleys Island?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in South Carolina (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Pawleys Island's current median rent is $2,025/mo, which is $325/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in South Carolina works roughly 61.9 hours a month to cover Pawleys Island's median rent of $2,025.

Where is rent cheaper than Pawleys Island for a police officer?

Nearby South Carolina cities with lower median rent include Fountain Inn ($2,019/mo), Fountain Inn ($2,018/mo), Graniteville ($2,018/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 Pawleys Island, SC. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.