Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Chesterfield, VA?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.2% of gross income.
Chesterfield rent: September 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 Chesterfield, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Chesterfield
View full rent data for Chesterfield, VA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Chesterfield, VA?
Median rent in Chesterfield is $2,178 a month. A typical police officer in Virginia earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 33.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Chesterfield?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Virginia (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Chesterfield's current median rent is $2,178/mo, which is $208/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Chesterfield?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Virginia works roughly 57.5 hours a month to cover Chesterfield's median rent of $2,178.
Where is rent cheaper than Chesterfield for a police officer?
Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Mechanicsville ($2,177/mo), Mechanicsville ($2,176/mo), Stephens City ($2,174/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.