Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Fairfield, CT?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 46.3% of gross income.

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

Fairfield median rent
$3,279/mo
Police Officer salary (Connecticut)
$84,997/yr
Rent as % of income
46.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,083, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,125/mo in rent. Fairfield's median rent of $3,279 exceeds that threshold by $1,154/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 80.2 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 Fairfield, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Greenwich, CT
$3,229/mo (45.6% of income)
Stamford, CT
$2,954/mo (41.7% of income)
Stamford, CT
$2,912/mo (41.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fairfield

View full rent data for Fairfield, CT

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Fairfield, CT?

Median rent in Fairfield is $3,279 a month. A typical police officer in Connecticut earns about $84,997 a year, which makes that rent 46.3% 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 Fairfield?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Connecticut (~$84,997/yr) supports up to $2,125 a month in rent. Fairfield's current median rent is $3,279/mo, which is $1,154/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $41 an hour, a police officer in Connecticut works roughly 80.2 hours a month to cover Fairfield's median rent of $3,279.

Where is rent cheaper than Fairfield for a police officer?

Nearby Connecticut cities with lower median rent include Greenwich ($3,229/mo), Stamford ($2,954/mo), Stamford ($2,912/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 Fairfield, CT. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.