Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Murray, UT?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.6% of gross income.

Murray rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Utah state estimate).

Murray median rent
$1,461/mo
Police Officer salary (Utah)
$74,179/yr
Rent as % of income
23.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,182, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,854/mo in rent. Murray's median rent of $1,461 leaves roughly $393/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 41 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 Utah cities have lower median rent than Murray, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Orem, UT
$1,460/mo (23.6% of income)
Vernal, UT
$1,460/mo (23.6% of income)
Millcreek, UT
$1,454/mo (23.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Murray

View full rent data for Murray, UT

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Murray, UT?

Median rent in Murray is $1,461 a month. A typical police officer in Utah earns about $74,179 a year, which makes that rent 23.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Murray?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Utah (~$74,179/yr) supports up to $1,854 a month in rent. Murray's current median rent is $1,461/mo, which leaves a $393/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Utah works roughly 41 hours a month to cover Murray's median rent of $1,461.

Where is rent cheaper than Murray for a police officer?

Nearby Utah cities with lower median rent include Orem ($1,460/mo), Vernal ($1,460/mo), Millcreek ($1,454/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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