Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Little Elm, TX?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 35.6% of gross income.

Little Elm rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Texas state estimate).

Little Elm median rent
$2,268/mo
Police Officer salary (Texas)
$76,497/yr
Rent as % of income
35.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,375, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,912/mo in rent. Little Elm's median rent of $2,268 exceeds that threshold by $356/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 61.7 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 Little Elm, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Flower Mound, TX
$2,266/mo (35.5% of income)
Red Oak, TX
$2,265/mo (35.5% of income)
Flower Mound, TX
$2,264/mo (35.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Little Elm

View full rent data for Little Elm, TX →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Little Elm, TX?

Median rent in Little Elm is $2,268 a month. A typical police officer in Texas earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 35.6% 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 Little Elm?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Texas (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Little Elm's current median rent is $2,268/mo, which is $356/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Texas works roughly 61.7 hours a month to cover Little Elm's median rent of $2,268.

Where is rent cheaper than Little Elm for a police officer?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Flower Mound ($2,266/mo), Red Oak ($2,265/mo), Flower Mound ($2,264/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 Little Elm, TX. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.