Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in South Hill, VA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.7% of gross income.
South Hill rent: March 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 South Hill, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for South Hill
View full rent data for South Hill, VA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in South Hill, VA?
Median rent in South Hill is $1,425 a month. A typical police officer in Virginia earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 21.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in South Hill?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Virginia (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. South Hill's current median rent is $1,425/mo, which leaves a $545/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in South Hill?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Virginia works roughly 37.6 hours a month to cover South Hill's median rent of $1,425.
Where is rent cheaper than South Hill for a police officer?
Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Williamsburg ($1,420/mo), Charlottesville ($1,419/mo), Hopewell ($1,419/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.