Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bath, ME?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.5% of gross income.

Bath rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine state estimate).

Bath median rent
$1,825/mo
Police Officer salary (Maine)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
30.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Bath's median rent of $1,825 exceeds that threshold by $28/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 52.8 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 Bath, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Orono, ME
$1,805/mo (30.1% of income)
Old Town, ME
$1,801/mo (30.1% of income)
South Portland, ME
$1,799/mo (30% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bath

View full rent data for Bath, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Bath, ME?

Median rent in Bath is $1,825 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 30.5% 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 Bath?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Bath's current median rent is $1,825/mo, which is $28/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 52.8 hours a month to cover Bath's median rent of $1,825.

Where is rent cheaper than Bath for a police officer?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Orono ($1,805/mo), Old Town ($1,801/mo), South Portland ($1,799/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 Bath, ME. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.