Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Salary
The median pay for a police and sheriff's patrol officers in Punta Gorda, FL is $69,700/year ($33.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.53), that's roughly $69,333 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,470/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $70K get you in Punta Gorda?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Punta Gorda’s Regional Price Parity (100.53). 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 Punta Gorda
Police and sheriff's patrol officers pay in Punta Gorda tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $76K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,470/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.53) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for police and sheriff's patrol officers in metros near Punta Gorda, 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, Punta Gorda, FL
Entry-level police and sheriff's patrol officers (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $17K 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)
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Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a police and sheriff's patrol officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Punta Gorda?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,470/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 Punta Gorda?
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 $3,160/month. At HUD’s $1,470/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 Punta Gorda?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $76K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Punta Gorda compare to the national average for police and sheriff's patrol officers?
Punta Gorda pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $76K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do police and sheriff's patrol officers make in Punta Gorda, FL?
The median is $69,700 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,670, and experienced police and sheriff's patrol officers can clear $69,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Punta Gorda?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,785/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,470/month, which eats 30.7% 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 Punta Gorda?
Punta Gorda has a Regional Price Parity of 100.53 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median police and sheriff's patrol officers salary is worth about $69,333 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.