Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Orono, ME?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 27.1% of gross income.
Orono rent: June 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 Orono, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Orono
View full rent data for Orono, ME →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Orono, ME?
Median rent in Orono is $1,625 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 27.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Orono?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Orono's current median rent is $1,625/mo, which leaves a $172/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Orono?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 47 hours a month to cover Orono's median rent of $1,625.
Where is rent cheaper than Orono for a police officer?
Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Auburn ($1,622/mo), Springvale ($1,620/mo), Auburn ($1,611/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.