Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bangor, ME?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.2% of gross income.

Bangor rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine state estimate).

Bangor median rent
$1,509/mo
Police Officer salary (Maine)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
25.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Bangor's median rent of $1,509 leaves roughly $288/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.7 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 Maine cities have lower median rent than Bangor, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Augusta, ME
$1,504/mo (25.1% of income)
Augusta, ME
$1,492/mo (24.9% of income)
Augusta, ME
$1,492/mo (24.9% of income)

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 $1,509 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 25.2% 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 $1,509/mo, which leaves a $288/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 43.7 hours a month to cover Bangor's median rent of $1,509.

Where is rent cheaper than Bangor for a police officer?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Augusta ($1,504/mo), Augusta ($1,492/mo), Augusta ($1,492/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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