Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Milford, DE?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.8% of gross income.

Milford rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Delaware state estimate).

Milford median rent
$2,021/mo
Police Officer salary (Delaware)
$78,815/yr
Rent as % of income
30.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,568, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,970/mo in rent. Milford's median rent of $2,021 exceeds that threshold by $51/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 53.3 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 Delaware cities have lower median rent than Milford, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Newark, DE
$2,020/mo (30.8% of income)
Newark, DE
$2,014/mo (30.7% of income)
Newark, DE
$2,013/mo (30.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Milford

View full rent data for Milford, DE

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Milford, DE?

Median rent in Milford is $2,021 a month. A typical police officer in Delaware earns about $78,815 a year, which makes that rent 30.8% 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 Milford?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Delaware (~$78,815/yr) supports up to $1,970 a month in rent. Milford's current median rent is $2,021/mo, which is $51/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in Delaware works roughly 53.3 hours a month to cover Milford's median rent of $2,021.

Where is rent cheaper than Milford for a police officer?

Nearby Delaware cities with lower median rent include Newark ($2,020/mo), Newark ($2,014/mo), Newark ($2,013/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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