Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Pullman, WA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.2% of gross income.
Pullman 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 Pullman, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Pullman
View full rent data for Pullman, WA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Pullman, WA?
Median rent in Pullman is $1,454 a month. A typical police officer in Washington earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 20.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Pullman?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Washington (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Pullman's current median rent is $1,454/mo, which leaves a $710/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Pullman?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Washington works roughly 34.9 hours a month to cover Pullman's median rent of $1,454.
Where is rent cheaper than Pullman for a police officer?
Nearby Washington cities with lower median rent include Ocean Shores ($1,453/mo), Chehalis ($1,452/mo), Moses Lake ($1,451/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.