Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Killeen, TX?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.7% of gross income.

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

Killeen median rent
$1,254/mo
Police Officer salary (Texas)
$76,497/yr
Rent as % of income
19.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,375, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,912/mo in rent. Killeen's median rent of $1,254 leaves roughly $658/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 34.1 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 Texas cities have lower median rent than Killeen, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Huntsville, TX
$1,253/mo (19.7% of income)
San Angelo, TX
$1,253/mo (19.7% of income)
Freeport, TX
$1,253/mo (19.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Killeen

View full rent data for Killeen, TX

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Killeen, TX?

Median rent in Killeen is $1,254 a month. A typical police officer in Texas earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 19.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Killeen?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Texas (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Killeen's current median rent is $1,254/mo, which leaves a $658/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Texas works roughly 34.1 hours a month to cover Killeen's median rent of $1,254.

Where is rent cheaper than Killeen for a police officer?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Huntsville ($1,253/mo), San Angelo ($1,253/mo), Freeport ($1,253/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 Killeen, TX. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.