Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Milwaukee, WI?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24% of gross income.
Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Milwaukee
View full rent data for Milwaukee, WI →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Milwaukee, WI?
Median rent in Milwaukee is $1,469 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 24% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Milwaukee?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Milwaukee's current median rent is $1,469/mo, which leaves a $366/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Milwaukee?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 41.6 hours a month to cover Milwaukee's median rent of $1,469.
Where is rent cheaper than Milwaukee for a police officer?
Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Waukesha ($1,467/mo), West Allis ($1,454/mo), Waukesha ($1,449/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.