Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Mesquite, TX?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.5% of gross income.
Mesquite rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Texas 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 Texas cities have lower median rent than Mesquite, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Mesquite
View full rent data for Mesquite, TX →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Mesquite, TX?
Median rent in Mesquite is $1,437 a month. A typical police officer in Texas earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 22.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Mesquite?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Texas (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Mesquite's current median rent is $1,437/mo, which leaves a $475/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Mesquite?
At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Texas works roughly 39.1 hours a month to cover Mesquite's median rent of $1,437.
Where is rent cheaper than Mesquite for a police officer?
Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Kingsville ($1,436/mo), El Paso ($1,435/mo), Westworth Village ($1,435/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.