Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bangor, ME?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.5% of gross income.
Bangor rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine 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 Maine cities have lower median rent than Bangor, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bangor
View full rent data for Bangor, ME →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Bangor, ME?
Median rent in Bangor is $1,586 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 26.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Bangor?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Bangor's current median rent is $1,586/mo, which leaves a $211/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Bangor?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 45.9 hours a month to cover Bangor's median rent of $1,586.
Where is rent cheaper than Bangor for a police officer?
Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Auburn ($1,581/mo), Auburn ($1,579/mo), Old Town ($1,573/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.