Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Oak Harbor, WA?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.9% of gross income.

Oak Harbor rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Washington state estimate).

Oak Harbor median rent
$1,940/mo
Police Officer salary (Washington)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
26.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Oak Harbor's median rent of $1,940 leaves roughly $224/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 46.6 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 Washington cities have lower median rent than Oak Harbor, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Mount Vernon, WA
$1,939/mo (26.9% of income)
Kent, WA
$1,939/mo (26.9% of income)
Lacey, WA
$1,939/mo (26.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Oak Harbor

View full rent data for Oak Harbor, WA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Oak Harbor, WA?

Median rent in Oak Harbor is $1,940 a month. A typical police officer in Washington earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 26.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Oak Harbor?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Washington (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Oak Harbor's current median rent is $1,940/mo, which leaves a $224/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Washington works roughly 46.6 hours a month to cover Oak Harbor's median rent of $1,940.

Where is rent cheaper than Oak Harbor for a police officer?

Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Mount Vernon ($1,939/mo), Kent ($1,939/mo), Lacey ($1,939/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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