Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Franklin, TN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.8% of gross income.

Franklin rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Tennessee state estimate).

Franklin median rent
$2,122/mo
Police Officer salary (Tennessee)
$71,088/yr
Rent as % of income
35.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,924, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,777/mo in rent. Franklin's median rent of $2,122 exceeds that threshold by $345/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 62.1 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 Tennessee cities have lower median rent than Franklin, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Mount Juliet, TN
$2,107/mo (35.6% of income)
Ooltewah, TN
$2,100/mo (35.4% of income)
Mount Juliet, TN
$2,095/mo (35.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Franklin

View full rent data for Franklin, TN

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Franklin, TN?

Median rent in Franklin is $2,122 a month. A typical police officer in Tennessee earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 35.8% 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 Franklin?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Tennessee (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Franklin's current median rent is $2,122/mo, which is $345/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Tennessee works roughly 62.1 hours a month to cover Franklin's median rent of $2,122.

Where is rent cheaper than Franklin for a police officer?

Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Mount Juliet ($2,107/mo), Ooltewah ($2,100/mo), Mount Juliet ($2,095/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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