Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Paris, TX?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.4% of gross income.

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

Paris median rent
$1,238/mo
Police Officer salary (Texas)
$76,497/yr
Rent as % of income
19.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,375, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,912/mo in rent. Paris's median rent of $1,238 leaves roughly $674/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 33.7 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 Paris, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Live Oak, TX
$1,237/mo (19.4% of income)
Live Oak, TX
$1,237/mo (19.4% of income)
McAllen, TX
$1,237/mo (19.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Paris

View full rent data for Paris, TX

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Paris, TX?

Median rent in Paris is $1,238 a month. A typical police officer in Texas earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 19.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Paris?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Texas (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Paris's current median rent is $1,238/mo, which leaves a $674/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Texas works roughly 33.7 hours a month to cover Paris's median rent of $1,238.

Where is rent cheaper than Paris for a police officer?

Nearby Texas cities with lower median rent include Live Oak ($1,237/mo), Live Oak ($1,237/mo), McAllen ($1,237/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 Paris, TX. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.