Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Plainville, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.4% of gross income.

Plainville rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Plainville median rent
$2,273/mo
Police Officer salary (Massachusetts)
$89,633/yr
Rent as % of income
30.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,469, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,241/mo in rent. Plainville's median rent of $2,273 exceeds that threshold by $32/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 52.7 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 Massachusetts cities have lower median rent than Plainville, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Northampton, MA
$2,272/mo (30.4% of income)
Milford, MA
$2,272/mo (30.4% of income)
Lynn, MA
$2,272/mo (30.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Plainville

View full rent data for Plainville, MA →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Plainville, MA?

Median rent in Plainville is $2,273 a month. A typical police officer in Massachusetts earns about $89,633 a year, which makes that rent 30.4% 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 Plainville?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Massachusetts (~$89,633/yr) supports up to $2,241 a month in rent. Plainville's current median rent is $2,273/mo, which is $32/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $43 an hour, a police officer in Massachusetts works roughly 52.7 hours a month to cover Plainville's median rent of $2,273.

Where is rent cheaper than Plainville for a police officer?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Northampton ($2,272/mo), Milford ($2,272/mo), Lynn ($2,272/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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