Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Simpsonville, SC?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 32% of gross income.

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

Simpsonville median rent
$1,813/mo
Police Officer salary (South Carolina)
$67,998/yr
Rent as % of income
32%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,667, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,700/mo in rent. Simpsonville's median rent of $1,813 exceeds that threshold by $113/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 55.5 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 Simpsonville, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Irmo, SC
$1,808/mo (31.9% of income)
Beaufort, SC
$1,807/mo (31.9% of income)
Duncan, SC
$1,806/mo (31.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Simpsonville

View full rent data for Simpsonville, SC

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Simpsonville, SC?

Median rent in Simpsonville is $1,813 a month. A typical police officer in South Carolina earns about $67,998 a year, which makes that rent 32% 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 Simpsonville?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in South Carolina (~$67,998/yr) supports up to $1,700 a month in rent. Simpsonville's current median rent is $1,813/mo, which is $113/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $33 an hour, a police officer in South Carolina works roughly 55.5 hours a month to cover Simpsonville's median rent of $1,813.

Where is rent cheaper than Simpsonville for a police officer?

Nearby South Carolina cities with lower median rent include Irmo ($1,808/mo), Beaufort ($1,807/mo), Duncan ($1,806/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 Simpsonville, SC. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.