Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Parkersburg, WV?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 17.7% of gross income.
Parkersburg rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (West Virginia 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 West Virginia cities have lower median rent than Parkersburg, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Parkersburg
View full rent data for Parkersburg, WV →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Parkersburg, WV?
Median rent in Parkersburg is $968 a month. A typical police officer in West Virginia earns about $65,680 a year, which makes that rent 17.7% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Parkersburg?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in West Virginia (~$65,680/yr) supports up to $1,642 a month in rent. Parkersburg's current median rent is $968/mo, which leaves a $674/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Parkersburg?
At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a police officer in West Virginia works roughly 30.7 hours a month to cover Parkersburg's median rent of $968.
Where is rent cheaper than Parkersburg for a police officer?
Nearby West Virginia cities with lower median rent include Charleston ($958/mo), Huntington ($942/mo), Huntington ($936/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.