Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Salem, MA?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.7% of gross income.
Salem rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Massachusetts state estimate).
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 Salem, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Salem
View full rent data for Salem, MA →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Salem, MA?
Median rent in Salem is $2,742 a month. A typical police officer in Massachusetts earns about $89,633 a year, which makes that rent 36.7% 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 Salem?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Massachusetts (~$89,633/yr) supports up to $2,241 a month in rent. Salem's current median rent is $2,742/mo, which is $501/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Salem?
At an hourly equivalent of about $43 an hour, a police officer in Massachusetts works roughly 63.6 hours a month to cover Salem's median rent of $2,742.
Where is rent cheaper than Salem for a police officer?
Nearby Massachusetts cities with lower median rent include Westborough ($2,741/mo), Mansfield ($2,741/mo), Malden ($2,741/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.