Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Rockland, ME?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 28.2% of gross income.

Rockland rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Maine state estimate).

Rockland median rent
$1,688/mo
Police Officer salary (Maine)
$71,861/yr
Rent as % of income
28.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,988, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,797/mo in rent. Rockland's median rent of $1,688 leaves roughly $109/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 48.9 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 Rockland, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Sanford, ME
$1,681/mo (28.1% of income)
Sanford, ME
$1,681/mo (28.1% of income)
Auburn, ME
$1,673/mo (27.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Rockland

View full rent data for Rockland, ME

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Rockland, ME?

Median rent in Rockland is $1,688 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 28.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Rockland?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Rockland's current median rent is $1,688/mo, which leaves a $109/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 48.9 hours a month to cover Rockland's median rent of $1,688.

Where is rent cheaper than Rockland for a police officer?

Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Sanford ($1,681/mo), Sanford ($1,681/mo), Auburn ($1,673/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 Rockland, ME. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.