Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Madison, WI?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.1% of gross income.
Madison rent: June 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 Madison, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Madison
View full rent data for Madison, WI →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Madison, WI?
Median rent in Madison is $1,656 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 27.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Madison?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Madison's current median rent is $1,656/mo, which leaves a $179/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Madison?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 46.9 hours a month to cover Madison's median rent of $1,656.
Where is rent cheaper than Madison for a police officer?
Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Kenosha ($1,655/mo), Middleton ($1,650/mo), Saint Francis ($1,649/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.