Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Appleton, WI?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.4% of gross income.
Appleton rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Appleton, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Appleton
View full rent data for Appleton, WI →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Appleton, WI?
Median rent in Appleton is $1,185 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 19.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Appleton?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Appleton's current median rent is $1,185/mo, which leaves a $650/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Appleton?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 33.6 hours a month to cover Appleton's median rent of $1,185.
Where is rent cheaper than Appleton for a police officer?
Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Watertown ($1,184/mo), Racine ($1,184/mo), Fond du Lac ($1,183/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.