Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Kilgore, TX?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.9% of gross income.

Kilgore rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Texas state estimate).

Kilgore median rent
$1,141/mo
Police Officer salary (Texas)
$76,497/yr
Rent as % of income
17.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,375, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,912/mo in rent. Kilgore's median rent of $1,141 leaves roughly $771/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 31 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 Texas cities have lower median rent than Kilgore, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Longview, TX
$1,140/mo (17.9% of income)
Harlingen, TX
$1,140/mo (17.9% of income)
Harlingen, TX
$1,140/mo (17.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Kilgore

View full rent data for Kilgore, TX

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Kilgore, TX?

Median rent in Kilgore is $1,141 a month. A typical police officer in Texas earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 17.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Kilgore?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Texas (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Kilgore's current median rent is $1,141/mo, which leaves a $771/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Texas works roughly 31 hours a month to cover Kilgore's median rent of $1,141.

Where is rent cheaper than Kilgore for a police officer?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Longview ($1,140/mo), Harlingen ($1,140/mo), Harlingen ($1,140/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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