Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Piedmont, SC?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.8% of gross income.

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

Piedmont median rent
$1,518/mo
Police Officer salary (South Carolina)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
26.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Piedmont's median rent of $1,518 leaves roughly $182/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 46.4 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 Piedmont, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Cayce, SC
$1,517/mo (26.8% of income)
Rock Hill, SC
$1,517/mo (26.8% of income)
North Augusta, SC
$1,516/mo (26.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Piedmont

View full rent data for Piedmont, SC

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Piedmont, SC?

Median rent in Piedmont is $1,518 a month. A typical police officer in South Carolina earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 26.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Piedmont?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in South Carolina (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Piedmont's current median rent is $1,518/mo, which leaves a $182/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in South Carolina works roughly 46.4 hours a month to cover Piedmont's median rent of $1,518.

Where is rent cheaper than Piedmont for a police officer?

Nearby South Carolina cities with lower median rent include Cayce ($1,517/mo), Rock Hill ($1,517/mo), North Augusta ($1,516/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 Piedmont, SC. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.