Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Des Moines, WA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.9% of gross income.
Des Moines rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington 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 Washington cities have lower median rent than Des Moines, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Des Moines
View full rent data for Des Moines, WA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Des Moines, WA?
Median rent in Des Moines is $2,084 a month. A typical police officer in Washington earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 28.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Des Moines?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Washington (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Des Moines's current median rent is $2,084/mo, which leaves a $80/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Des Moines?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Washington works roughly 50.1 hours a month to cover Des Moines's median rent of $2,084.
Where is rent cheaper than Des Moines for a police officer?
Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Pacific ($2,083/mo), Mercer Island ($2,083/mo), Lynnwood ($2,083/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.