Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in De Forest, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.5% of gross income.

De Forest rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

De Forest median rent
$1,683/mo
Police Officer salary (Wisconsin)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
27.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. De Forest's median rent of $1,683 leaves roughly $152/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 47.7 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 Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than De Forest, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Oak Creek, WI
$1,682/mo (27.5% of income)
Mount Pleasant, WI
$1,680/mo (27.5% of income)
Saint Francis, WI
$1,680/mo (27.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for De Forest

View full rent data for De Forest, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in De Forest, WI?

Median rent in De Forest is $1,683 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 27.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in De Forest?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. De Forest's current median rent is $1,683/mo, which leaves a $152/mo buffer.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in De Forest?

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 47.7 hours a month to cover De Forest's median rent of $1,683.

Where is rent cheaper than De Forest for a police officer?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Oak Creek ($1,682/mo), Mount Pleasant ($1,680/mo), Saint Francis ($1,680/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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