Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Old Town, ME?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.1% of gross income.

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

Old Town median rent
$1,801/mo
Police Officer salary (Maine)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
30.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Old Town's median rent of $1,801 exceeds that threshold by $4/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 52.1 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 Old Town, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

South Portland, ME
$1,799/mo (30% of income)
Portland, ME
$1,780/mo (29.7% of income)
Rockland, ME
$1,775/mo (29.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Old Town

View full rent data for Old Town, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Old Town, ME?

Median rent in Old Town is $1,801 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 30.1% 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 Old Town?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Old Town's current median rent is $1,801/mo, which is $4/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 52.1 hours a month to cover Old Town's median rent of $1,801.

Where is rent cheaper than Old Town for a police officer?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include South Portland ($1,799/mo), Portland ($1,780/mo), Rockland ($1,775/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 Old Town, ME. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.