Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Plymouth, MA?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 37.7% of gross income.

Plymouth rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).

Plymouth median rent
$2,818/mo
Police Officer salary (Massachusetts)
$89,633/yr
Rent as % of income
37.7%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,469, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,241/mo in rent. Plymouth's median rent of $2,818 exceeds that threshold by $577/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 65.4 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 Plymouth, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Everett, MA
$2,815/mo (37.7% of income)
Hopkinton, MA
$2,814/mo (37.7% of income)
Walpole, MA
$2,813/mo (37.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Plymouth

View full rent data for Plymouth, MA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Plymouth, MA?

Median rent in Plymouth is $2,818 a month. A typical police officer in Massachusetts earns about $89,633 a year, which makes that rent 37.7% 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 Plymouth?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Massachusetts (~$89,633/yr) supports up to $2,241 a month in rent. Plymouth's current median rent is $2,818/mo, which is $577/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $43 an hour, a police officer in Massachusetts works roughly 65.4 hours a month to cover Plymouth's median rent of $2,818.

Where is rent cheaper than Plymouth for a police officer?

Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Everett ($2,815/mo), Hopkinton ($2,814/mo), Walpole ($2,813/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 Plymouth, MA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.