Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL is $66,700/year ($32.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.14), that's roughly $68,664 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,497/month, about 32.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $67K actually covers in Lakeland-Winter Haven, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lakeland-Winter Haven’s Regional Price Parity (97.14). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About police and sheriff's patrol officers
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What this looks like in Lakeland-Winter Haven
Pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Lakeland-Winter Haven runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $76K. Rent runs $1,497/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.14) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in metros near Lakeland-Winter Haven, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $80K | $70K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $63K | $62K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $76K | $75K |
| Jacksonville | $79K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119K | +56% | 65,940 |
| Washington | $102K | +34% | 9,160 |
| Illinois | $101K | +32% | 29,180 |
| Alaska | $99K | +30% | 1,260 |
| Colorado | $97K | +28% | 9,610 |
| Delaware | $93K | +22% | 1,800 |
| New York | $93K | +22% | 53,470 |
| New Jersey | $93K | +22% | 21,780 |
| District of Columbia | $89K | +16% | 4,720 |
| Oregon | $88K | +16% | 5,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $85K | +12% | 26,510 |
| Hawaii | $84K | +10% | 2,420 |
| Minnesota | $83K | +9% | 9,160 |
| Connecticut | $82K | +8% | 6,500 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +4% | 17,040 |
| Arizona | $79K | +4% | 12,010 |
| Nevada | $78K | +3% | 5,720 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | +2% | 12,320 |
| Maryland | $78K | +2% | 9,720 |
| Utah | $77K | +1% | 5,500 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | +1% | 1,940 |
| Ohio | $77K | +1% | 23,430 |
| Texas | $76K | -0% | 63,100 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -2% | 3,490 |
| North Dakota | $75K | -2% | 1,630 |
| Florida | $74K | -2% | 43,630 |
| Iowa | $74K | -2% | 5,130 |
| Michigan | $74K | -3% | 16,750 |
| Indiana | $73K | -4% | 12,980 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -6% | 2,460 |
| Montana | $70K | -8% | 2,160 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -9% | 4,580 |
| Vermont | $69K | -10% | 1,020 |
| Maine | $67K | -12% | 2,120 |
| Idaho | $67K | -12% | 2,810 |
| Wyoming | $66K | -13% | 1,310 |
| Virginia | $66K | -14% | 19,970 |
| South Dakota | $61K | -20% | 2,000 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -21% | 7,890 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -22% | 9,660 |
| Missouri | $59K | -22% | 13,570 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -22% | 22,370 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -22% | 15,630 |
| Kansas | $59K | -22% | 6,130 |
| Georgia | $58K | -24% | 22,170 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -24% | 12,930 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -25% | 2,900 |
| Alabama | $51K | -33% | 11,710 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -37% | 12,400 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -37% | 5,710 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -39% | 8,070 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track police and sheriff's patrol officers salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 32.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,497/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new police and sheriff's patrol officers typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,183/month. At HUD’s $1,497/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is police and sheriff's patrol officer a high-paying job in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $67K here vs. $76K nationally.
How does Lakeland-Winter Haven compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Lakeland-Winter Haven pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL?
The median is $66,700 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,050, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $85,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,609/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,497/month, which eats 32.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a police and sheriff's patrol officers salary go in Lakeland-Winter Haven?
Lakeland-Winter Haven has a Regional Price Parity of 97.14 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median police and sheriff's patrol officers salary is worth about $68,664 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do police and sheriff's patrol officers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.