Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Wisconsin Rapids, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.9% of gross income.

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

Wisconsin Rapids median rent
$1,095/mo
Police Officer salary (Wisconsin)
$73,407/yr
Rent as % of income
17.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,117, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,835/mo in rent. Wisconsin Rapids's median rent of $1,095 leaves roughly $740/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 31 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 Wisconsin Rapids, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

West Bend, WI
$1,094/mo (17.9% of income)
La Crosse, WI
$1,087/mo (17.8% of income)
Beloit, WI
$1,087/mo (17.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Wisconsin Rapids

View full rent data for Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Wisconsin Rapids, WI?

Median rent in Wisconsin Rapids is $1,095 a month. A typical police officer in Wisconsin earns about $73,407 a year, which makes that rent 17.9% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Wisconsin Rapids?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Wisconsin (~$73,407/yr) supports up to $1,835 a month in rent. Wisconsin Rapids's current median rent is $1,095/mo, which leaves a $740/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Wisconsin works roughly 31 hours a month to cover Wisconsin Rapids's median rent of $1,095.

Where is rent cheaper than Wisconsin Rapids for a police officer?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include West Bend ($1,094/mo), La Crosse ($1,087/mo), Beloit ($1,087/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 Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.