Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Virginia Beach, VA?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 31.4% of gross income.
Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Virginia Beach
View full rent data for Virginia Beach, VA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Virginia Beach, VA?
Median rent in Virginia Beach is $2,065 a month. A typical police officer in Virginia earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 31.4% 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 Virginia Beach?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Virginia (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Virginia Beach's current median rent is $2,065/mo, which is $95/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Virginia Beach?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Virginia works roughly 54.5 hours a month to cover Virginia Beach's median rent of $2,065.
Where is rent cheaper than Virginia Beach for a police officer?
Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include Blacksburg ($2,064/mo), Culpeper ($2,064/mo), Yorktown ($2,064/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.