Best cities for a police officer
The best cities for police officers are Anchorage, AK, Oakland, CA, and Stockton, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for police officers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for police officers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a police officer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for police officers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for police officers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a police officer. While the absolute best city for police officers is Anchorage, AK, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for police officers in 2024.
If you're looking for a police officer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for police officers in 2026
1. Anchorage, AK
Police officer jobs in AnchorageTotal police officer jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $78,724 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location quotient: 5.82 2. Oakland, CA
Police officer jobs in OaklandTotal police officer jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $73,400 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location quotient: 5.10 3. Stockton, CA
Police officer jobs in StocktonTotal police officer jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $72,631 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location quotient: 8.29 4. Reno, NV
Police officer jobs in RenoTotal police officer jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $60,393 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location quotient: 1.71 5. Anaheim, CA
Police officer jobs in AnaheimTotal police officer jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $65,077 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location quotient: 5.82 6. Sacramento, CA
Police officer jobs in SacramentoTotal police officer jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $72,861 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location quotient: 0.93 7. Las Vegas, NV
Police officer jobs in Las VegasTotal police officer jobs: 24 Average annual salary: $55,281 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location quotient: 0.94 8. Riverside, CA
Police officer jobs in RiversideTotal police officer jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $64,798 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location quotient: 3.39 9. Saint Paul, MN
Police officer jobs in Saint PaulTotal police officer jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $59,357 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location quotient: 0.91 10. Aurora, CO
Police officer jobs in AuroraTotal police officer jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $61,365 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location quotient: 1.32
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Best cities for police officers
- Anchorage, AK
- Oakland, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Reno, NV
- Anaheim, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Riverside, CA
- Saint Paul, MN
- Aurora, CO
Detailed list of the best cities for a police officer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $78,724 | $70,000 | 298,192 | 32 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $73,400 | $53,000 | 420,005 | 53 |
| 3 | Stockton, CA | $72,631 | $53,000 | 307,072 | 32 |
| 4 | Reno, NV | $60,393 | $45,000 | 245,255 | 14 |
| 5 | Anaheim, CA | $65,077 | $48,000 | 351,043 | 32 |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $72,861 | $53,000 | 495,234 | 21 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $55,281 | $41,000 | 632,912 | 24 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $64,798 | $47,000 | 324,722 | 22 |
| 9 | Saint Paul, MN | $59,357 | $48,000 | 302,398 | 19 |
| 10 | Aurora, CO | $61,365 | $49,000 | 361,710 | 20 |
| 11 | Glendale, AZ | $50,412 | $37,000 | 245,895 | 11 |
| 12 | Henderson, NV | $54,901 | $40,000 | 292,969 | 3 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $51,766 | $40,000 | 385,809 | 15 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $70,582 | $55,000 | 639,863 | 27 |
| 15 | Long Beach, CA | $65,201 | $48,000 | 470,130 | 8 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,394 | $48,000 | 413,651 | 30 |
| 17 | Gilbert, AZ | $50,018 | $37,000 | 237,133 | 9 |
| 18 | Toledo, OH | $51,543 | $40,000 | 278,508 | 4 |
| 19 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,555 | $36,000 | 303,625 | 52 |
| 20 | Lubbock, TX | $49,173 | $37,000 | 252,506 | 7 |
| 21 | Colorado Springs, CO | $60,569 | $48,000 | 465,101 | 19 |
| 22 | Seattle, WA | $74,056 | $59,000 | 704,352 | 42 |
| 23 | Laredo, TX | $48,345 | $35,000 | 257,156 | 5 |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH | $49,000 | $37,000 | 298,800 | 19 |
| 25 | Tucson, AZ | $49,113 | $36,000 | 530,706 | 28 |
| 26 | Columbus, OH | $49,914 | $38,000 | 860,090 | 28 |
| 27 | Los Angeles, CA | $65,864 | $48,000 | 3,976,322 | 46 |
| 28 | Irvine, CA | $64,654 | $47,000 | 266,122 | 22 |
| 29 | Madison, WI | $51,252 | $41,000 | 252,551 | 9 |
| 30 | Denver, CO | $61,460 | $49,000 | 693,060 | 40 |
| 31 | Fort Worth, TX | $47,886 | $36,000 | 854,113 | 24 |
| 32 | Detroit, MI | $50,277 | $39,000 | 672,795 | 16 |
| 33 | Omaha, NE | $49,711 | $39,000 | 446,970 | 17 |
| 34 | Corpus Christi, TX | $48,001 | $35,000 | 325,733 | 3 |
| 35 | San Diego, CA | $62,486 | $46,000 | 1,406,630 | 51 |
| 36 | San Francisco, CA | $73,599 | $53,000 | 870,887 | 18 |
| 37 | Chicago, IL | $56,366 | $44,000 | 2,704,958 | 43 |
| 38 | San Jose, CA | $72,849 | $53,000 | 1,025,350 | 7 |
| 39 | Albuquerque, NM | $42,834 | $33,000 | 559,277 | 41 |
| 40 | Fremont, CA | $73,059 | $53,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 41 | Washington, DC | $60,406 | $45,000 | 681,170 | 89 |
| 42 | Kansas City, MO | $44,501 | $35,000 | 481,420 | 32 |
| 43 | North Las Vegas, NV | $55,178 | $41,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 44 | Philadelphia, PA | $48,915 | $36,000 | 1,567,872 | 20 |
| 45 | Bakersfield, CA | $68,274 | $50,000 | 376,380 | 1 |
| 46 | Phoenix, AZ | $50,377 | $37,000 | 1,615,017 | 30 |
| 47 | Milwaukee, WI | $51,191 | $40,000 | 595,047 | 7 |
| 48 | Scottsdale, AZ | $50,308 | $37,000 | 246,645 | 5 |
| 49 | Wichita, KS | $38,657 | $30,000 | 389,902 | 21 |
| 50 | Fresno, CA | $70,586 | $51,000 | 522,053 | - |
Highest paying cities for police officers
| Rank | City | Avg. police officer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $78,724 |
| 2 | Bellingham, WA | $74,409 |
| 3 | Richmond, CA | $73,569 |
| 4 | Eugene, OR | $70,639 |
| 5 | Boulder, CO | $61,857 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $60,406 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,394 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $56,736 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $56,506 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $56,366 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $55,281 |
| 12 | Yuma, AZ | $51,096 |
| 13 | Ann Arbor, MI | $50,015 |
| 14 | Salt Lake City, UT | $49,427 |
| 15 | Fort Worth, TX | $47,886 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,555 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $44,501 |
| 18 | Boynton Beach, FL | $42,936 |
| 19 | Albuquerque, NM | $42,834 |
| 20 | Richmond, VA | $42,223 |
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Updated January 8, 2025