Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Kelso, WA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.4% of gross income.
Kelso rent: September 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 Kelso, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Kelso
View full rent data for Kelso, WA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Kelso, WA?
Median rent in Kelso is $1,469 a month. A typical police officer in Washington earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 20.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Kelso?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Washington (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Kelso's current median rent is $1,469/mo, which leaves a $695/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Kelso?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Washington works roughly 35.3 hours a month to cover Kelso's median rent of $1,469.
Where is rent cheaper than Kelso for a police officer?
Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Moses Lake ($1,468/mo), University Place ($1,467/mo), Chehalis ($1,465/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.