Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Falmouth, ME?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 54.1% of gross income.

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

Falmouth median rent
$3,242/mo
Police Officer salary (Maine)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
54.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Falmouth's median rent of $3,242 exceeds that threshold by $1,445/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 93.8 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 Falmouth, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Gorham, ME
$3,000/mo (50.1% of income)
Scarborough, ME
$2,958/mo (49.4% of income)
Scarborough, ME
$2,951/mo (49.3% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Falmouth

View full rent data for Falmouth, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Falmouth, ME?

Median rent in Falmouth is $3,242 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 54.1% 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 Falmouth?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Falmouth's current median rent is $3,242/mo, which is $1,445/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 93.8 hours a month to cover Falmouth's median rent of $3,242.

Where is rent cheaper than Falmouth for a police officer?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Gorham ($3,000/mo), Scarborough ($2,958/mo), Scarborough ($2,951/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 Falmouth, ME. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.