Depts. with good pay vs. cost of living in city

[GB0610]

I'd like to hear from people about departments that pay well in comparison to the cost of living in the area. I know that policepay.net covers this to an extent, but they don't include Sheriff Departments and smaller cities.

For example, San Francisco PD seems to be the highest paying department in the Country. BUT, it costs both arms (and probably an eye :D) to live in the area on their pay due to the exhorbant cost of living.

What departments in the Country pay well when it comes to raising a family on one income and being able to purchase a decent house?

Thanks!

[deputy x 2]

The depts in the SF bay area pay very well. If you take advantage of the recent foreclosures...you can afford to live in a nice area without a 1-2 hours commute.

[GB0610]

Well, I live a bit south of there right now, and I beg to differ. My wife and I are both college educated public servants with very decent salaries. We don't come anywhere close to being able to afford a house in a decent neighborhood.

I'd love to hear about outside of California.

[fedny]

Long Island departments are the highest in the country.

[CITYCOP184]

Try looking at some Texas Departments. A few years ago I did some research into the whole cost of living and salary comparison. If I remember right it seems like the Dallas-Ft Worth area including 100 miles around and the Houston area was a pretty good place. Also Kentucky (Louisville-Frankfort-Lexington areas) was up there too. It was a few years ago so all of this may have changed do to the economy. :)

[formerNOPD]

Plano, TX PD
Denton, TX PD
Dallas Suburbs - good cost of living
Houston suburbs

Atlanta, GA PD
Atlanta suburbs

Some departments in N FL - Jacksonville area and panhandle


Look at cost of living comparisons online to determine

Most Southern/Southeastern areas are the cheaper areas to live in.

Going FED in these areas IMHO is the best route to go. High Salary and low cost of living.

[evans1010]

I just started in a suburb of Kansas City on the Kansas side, and if you stay around the metro area, you can live a pretty decent living. Like Colorado, many agencies top out in the 60k range, and if you don't mind a little drive you can get a nice house for 150k or so. I don't think their is a better place to raise a family, to boot.
Nick

[SgtScott31]

Tennesse is the place to be. We have had many from the west coast and northeast head this way because of the cost of living versus salary.

An all brick home is around $100 - $110 per sq foot (i.e. brand new 1800 sq foot home = $180k to $198k) depending on location.

All locations are either in Nashville or within 30 minutes (if you are considering middle TN/urban).

[formerNOPD]

Atlanta metro and Dallas metro is around $80.00 per sq ft.

Realtor.com link for Plano:
http://homes.realtor.com/search/searchresults.aspx?ctid=86647&bd=4&bth=4&typ=1


For Atlanta metro:
Newnan - http://homes.realtor.com/search/searchresults.aspx?ctid=1271&mxp=18&bd=4&bth=4&typ=1

www.realtor.com is a great resource - pull up every city you are considering and their metro area if that department will allow you to live outside the city. Make sure of that, I got duped by New Orleans on that one.

[LA7Mary3]

GB- You have plenty of good info here from posters. You have to consider where YOU want to live. Here in NJ, we get great money (around 100K), but that is peanuts when you consider that the average house costs 400K. You want to look at a place where there is a high salary and moderate home cost.

[GB0610]

Thanks, Gentlemen on all of your suggestions.

I'm out in Cali right now working for the FEDS and the wife and I are looking to get out of the State we were born and raised in pretty much simply due to the cost of living.

I really want to go local as well and we are both thinking MIDDLE AMERICA is the place we want to be. Unfortunately my only living experience is on both coast, both in the south and north.....so I am very ignorant about what departments in the Mid-West are good ones to apply to and pay well also. I also truly don't know what areas we would like to live in....Omaha, Tulsa, Indy, etc.? We are both city kids and would love to live in a nice suburb with good family values/community, schools and recreational opportunities (running, hiking, mtn. biking, etc.). It also need to be an attractive city, unlike Houston (sorry guys, but I think its foul....no disrespect).

I'll be in Austin testing next week. That's my #1 choice. If for whatever reason that doesn't work out, we are still looking to head to the middle of the country somewhere.

I simply can't justify paying upwards of $600,000 to $700,000 for a decent home anymore. It will never work for us on a cops salary.

Thanks again for the info.

[JMTX]

I'll ditto DFW, Texas.

I'm making over 40k as a jailer....My dad is a Sgt for the same sheriff's dept and I think he's making in the mid 60s.

We paid 89k for 5 acres with a HUGE triple-wide manufactured home, horse barn, etc.

I'm sure you can get a good suburban home for 125k.

I can't believe ya'll are paying 600,000-700,000 for a HOUSE!!! I could buy a ranch for that much!

I'm not sure what you mean by an "attractive" city? I'm a corn-fed country gal, so I don't consider any CITY attractive. They all look crowded and ugly to me....that's why I live in the country and work in town. But overall, I think Ft. Worth is pretty neat looking, especially in the stockyards area.

But if you're more of a "yuppie" type, Dallas might be more your thing.

[Bonafide]

Tennesse is the place to be. We have had many from the west coast and northeast head this way because of the cost of living versus salary.


I'm originally from The Boro. It seemed to me there was more people coming in from the North to North East than anywhere else. Dont get me wrong - as I really miss my hometown and Mid-TN in general - but it aint what it use to be and it aint the place to be for a LEO. For the South - it's kinda hard to beat the burb areas outside of ATL for salary vs. cost of living.

[stiletto6507]

Austin is a great area, friend of mine works for a sheriff dept as a crisis intervention officer (serving lunacy papers, working with the mental ill.) her makes around 40-45K. plus if you leave 30mins outside of town you are looking at 70-100 dollars a sq foot for a home. plus you are far enough inland not to worry about hurricanes so home owners insurance is cheaper. thats the only problem with leaving on the coast (east and southern) homes are cheaper but the insurance will eat you alive. FL panhandle pays good for the coast of living, Pensacola, Destin area.