Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Payson, UT?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.1% of gross income.

Payson rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Utah state estimate).

Payson median rent
$1,550/mo
Police Officer salary (Utah)
$74,179/yr
Rent as % of income
25.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,182, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,854/mo in rent. Payson's median rent of $1,550 leaves roughly $304/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.5 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 Payson, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Springville, UT
$1,549/mo (25.1% of income)
South Ogden, UT
$1,546/mo (25% of income)
Springville, UT
$1,545/mo (25% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Payson

View full rent data for Payson, UT →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Payson, UT?

Median rent in Payson is $1,550 a month. A typical police officer in Utah earns about $74,179 a year, which makes that rent 25.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Payson?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Utah (~$74,179/yr) supports up to $1,854 a month in rent. Payson's current median rent is $1,550/mo, which leaves a $304/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Utah works roughly 43.5 hours a month to cover Payson's median rent of $1,550.

Where is rent cheaper than Payson for a police officer?

Nearby Utah cities with lower median rent include Springville ($1,549/mo), South Ogden ($1,546/mo), Springville ($1,545/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 Payson, UT. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.