Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bellwood, VA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.2% of gross income.
Bellwood rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Virginia 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 Virginia cities have lower median rent than Bellwood, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bellwood
View full rent data for Bellwood, VA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Bellwood, VA?
Median rent in Bellwood is $1,658 a month. A typical police officer in Virginia earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 25.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Bellwood?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Virginia (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Bellwood's current median rent is $1,658/mo, which leaves a $312/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Bellwood?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Virginia works roughly 43.8 hours a month to cover Bellwood's median rent of $1,658.
Where is rent cheaper than Bellwood for a police officer?
Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Montrose ($1,655/mo), Norfolk ($1,654/mo), Henrico ($1,649/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.