Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Nashville, TN?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.8% of gross income.
Nashville rent: June 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 Nashville, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Nashville
View full rent data for Nashville, TN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Nashville, TN?
Median rent in Nashville is $1,825 a month. A typical police officer in Tennessee earns about $71,088 a year, which makes that rent 30.8% 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 Nashville?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Tennessee (~$71,088/yr) supports up to $1,777 a month in rent. Nashville's current median rent is $1,825/mo, which is $48/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Nashville?
At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, a police officer in Tennessee works roughly 53.4 hours a month to cover Nashville's median rent of $1,825.
Where is rent cheaper than Nashville for a police officer?
Nearby Tennessee cities with lower median rent include Maryville ($1,824/mo), Lenoir City ($1,823/mo), Lenoir City ($1,821/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.