Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in River Falls, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.7% of gross income.

River Falls rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

River Falls median rent
$1,513/mo
Police Officer salary (Wisconsin)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
24.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. River Falls's median rent of $1,513 leaves roughly $322/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 42.9 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 River Falls, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Brown Deer, WI
$1,511/mo (24.7% of income)
Waukesha, WI
$1,510/mo (24.7% of income)
Waukesha, WI
$1,510/mo (24.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for River Falls

View full rent data for River Falls, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in River Falls, WI?

Median rent in River Falls is $1,513 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 24.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in River Falls?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. River Falls's current median rent is $1,513/mo, which leaves a $322/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 42.9 hours a month to cover River Falls's median rent of $1,513.

Where is rent cheaper than River Falls for a police officer?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Brown Deer ($1,511/mo), Waukesha ($1,510/mo), Waukesha ($1,510/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 River Falls, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.