Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Arlington, TN?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.4% of gross income.
Arlington rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).
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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Arlington, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Arlington
View full rent data for Arlington, TN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Arlington, TN?
Median rent in Arlington is $2,334 a month. A typical police officer in Tennessee earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 39.4% 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 Arlington?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Tennessee (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Arlington's current median rent is $2,334/mo, which is $557/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Arlington?
At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Tennessee works roughly 68.3 hours a month to cover Arlington's median rent of $2,334.
Where is rent cheaper than Arlington for a police officer?
Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Germantown ($2,319/mo), Germantown ($2,268/mo), Germantown ($2,257/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.