Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in South Salt Lake, UT?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.9% of gross income.

South Salt Lake rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Utah state estimate).

South Salt Lake median rent
$1,541/mo
Police Officer salary (Utah)
$74,179/yr
Rent as % of income
24.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,182, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,854/mo in rent. South Salt Lake's median rent of $1,541 leaves roughly $313/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.2 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 South Salt Lake, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Provo, UT
$1,536/mo (24.8% of income)
Midvale, UT
$1,533/mo (24.8% of income)
Millcreek, UT
$1,531/mo (24.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for South Salt Lake

View full rent data for South Salt Lake, UT

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in South Salt Lake, UT?

Median rent in South Salt Lake is $1,541 a month. A typical police officer in Utah earns about $74,179 a year, which makes that rent 24.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in South Salt Lake?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Utah (~$74,179/yr) supports up to $1,854 a month in rent. South Salt Lake's current median rent is $1,541/mo, which leaves a $313/mo buffer.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in South Salt Lake?

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Utah works roughly 43.2 hours a month to cover South Salt Lake's median rent of $1,541.

Where is rent cheaper than South Salt Lake for a police officer?

Nearby Utah cities with lower median rent include Provo ($1,536/mo), Midvale ($1,533/mo), Millcreek ($1,531/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 South Salt Lake, UT. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.