Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in East Lyme, CT?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.3% of gross income.

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

East Lyme median rent
$2,574/mo
Police Officer salary (Connecticut)
$84,997/yr
Rent as % of income
36.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,083, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,125/mo in rent. East Lyme's median rent of $2,574 exceeds that threshold by $449/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 63 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 East Lyme, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Branford, CT
$2,564/mo (36.2% of income)
Shelton, CT
$2,564/mo (36.2% of income)
Shelton, CT
$2,557/mo (36.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for East Lyme

View full rent data for East Lyme, CT

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in East Lyme, CT?

Median rent in East Lyme is $2,574 a month. A typical police officer in Connecticut earns about $84,997 a year, which makes that rent 36.3% 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 East Lyme?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Connecticut (~$84,997/yr) supports up to $2,125 a month in rent. East Lyme's current median rent is $2,574/mo, which is $449/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a police officer in Connecticut works roughly 63 hours a month to cover East Lyme's median rent of $2,574.

Where is rent cheaper than East Lyme for a police officer?

Nearby Connecticut cities with lower median rent include Branford ($2,564/mo), Shelton ($2,564/mo), Shelton ($2,557/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 East Lyme, CT. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.