Police officers in Kentucky tend to be paid less than the national average, but the Bluegrass State’s comparatively low real estate prices leave it as one of the nation’s greener pastures for officers to be able to afford a home.
The average annual wage for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Kentucky in May 2014 was $41,300, well below the nationwide average of $56,810 for officers at the same time,
according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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The BLS indicated 10 percent of Kentucky police and sheriff's patrol officers at that time earned less than $27,240 annually, 25 percent earned less than $33,700, 50 percent earned less than $41,550, 75 percent earned less than $48,360, and 90 percent earned less than $56,820.
Despite offering lower than average police pay, Kentucky ranks 16th among states in terms of the percentage of the average home price that can be covered by the average officer’s annual salary,
according to How to Become a Police Officer.
The 2012 average police salary in Kentucky was $41,040 while real estate website Zillow's 2013 median property list price in that state was $139,900, meaning the average annual salary encompassed 29 percent of the median home price. Ohio officers enjoyed the nation’s highest such ratio, with 43 percent, while Hawaii had the lowest, at 11 percent.
Another motivation for those considering becoming a police officer in Kentucky is that the Bluegrass State is midway through a decade in which it’s anticipated to see an rise in patrol officer employment of 7 percent, from 6,490 in 2010 to 6,930 in 2020, according to How To Become a Police Officer.
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A patrol officer’s duties may include patrolling specific areas, arresting crime suspects, directing traffic, handing out traffic citations, investigating accidents and serving legal papers for courts, according to the BLS.
According to PayScale, most police officers find other careers after 20 years.
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