Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Menasha, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.9% of gross income.

Menasha rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Menasha median rent
$1,215/mo
Police Officer salary (Wisconsin)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
19.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. Menasha's median rent of $1,215 leaves roughly $620/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 34.4 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 Menasha, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Menomonie, WI
$1,214/mo (19.8% of income)
Stevens Point, WI
$1,214/mo (19.8% of income)
Stevens Point, WI
$1,214/mo (19.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Menasha

View full rent data for Menasha, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Menasha, WI?

Median rent in Menasha is $1,215 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 19.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Menasha?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Menasha's current median rent is $1,215/mo, which leaves a $620/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 34.4 hours a month to cover Menasha's median rent of $1,215.

Where is rent cheaper than Menasha for a police officer?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Menomonie ($1,214/mo), Stevens Point ($1,214/mo), Stevens Point ($1,214/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 Menasha, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.