Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Waynesboro, VA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.4% of gross income.

Waynesboro rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Virginia state estimate).

Waynesboro median rent
$1,602/mo
Police Officer salary (Virginia)
$78,815/yr
Rent as % of income
24.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,568, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,970/mo in rent. Waynesboro's median rent of $1,602 leaves roughly $368/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 42.3 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 Virginia cities have lower median rent than Waynesboro, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

East Highland Park, VA
$1,599/mo (24.3% of income)
Highland Springs, VA
$1,598/mo (24.3% of income)
Newport News, VA
$1,596/mo (24.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Waynesboro

View full rent data for Waynesboro, VA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Waynesboro, VA?

Median rent in Waynesboro is $1,602 a month. A typical police officer in Virginia earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 24.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Waynesboro?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Virginia (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Waynesboro's current median rent is $1,602/mo, which leaves a $368/mo buffer.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Waynesboro?

At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Virginia works roughly 42.3 hours a month to cover Waynesboro's median rent of $1,602.

Where is rent cheaper than Waynesboro for a police officer?

Nearby Virginia cities with lower median rent include East Highland Park ($1,599/mo), Highland Springs ($1,598/mo), Newport News ($1,596/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Virginia state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Waynesboro, VA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.