Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Darien, CT?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 76% of gross income.

Darien rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Connecticut state estimate).

Darien median rent
$5,384/mo
Police Officer salary (Connecticut)
$84,997/yr
Rent as % of income
76%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,083, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,125/mo in rent. Darien's median rent of $5,384 exceeds that threshold by $3,259/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 131.8 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a police officer salary

The gap between a police officer's base pay and the rent in the city they patrol is a widely tracked local affordability question. Many large-city departments now publish recruitment materials that include a local-rent comparison, because affordability has become a recruiting issue. At the national-average officer base pay, the 30% rule supports about $1,932 a month in rent. The per-city pages combine local rent with local officer-pay estimates to show where rent stays within that range.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Connecticut cities have lower median rent than Darien, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Greenwich, CT
$5,206/mo (73.5% of income)
Greenwich, CT
$4,913/mo (69.4% of income)
Greenwich, CT
$4,791/mo (67.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Darien

View full rent data for Darien, CT

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Darien, CT?

Median rent in Darien is $5,384 a month. A typical police officer in Connecticut earns about $84,997 a year, which makes that rent 76% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Darien?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Connecticut (~$84,997/yr) supports up to $2,125 a month in rent. Darien's current median rent is $5,384/mo, which is $3,259/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Darien?

At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a police officer in Connecticut works roughly 131.8 hours a month to cover Darien's median rent of $5,384.

Where is rent cheaper than Darien for a police officer?

Nearby Connecticut cities with lower median rent include Greenwich ($5,206/mo), Greenwich ($4,913/mo), Greenwich ($4,791/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Connecticut state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Darien, CT. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.