Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Scarborough, ME?
Rent-burdened — rent takes 45% of gross income.
Scarborough 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 Scarborough, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Scarborough
View full rent data for Scarborough, ME →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Scarborough, ME?
Median rent in Scarborough is $2,694 a month. A typical police officer in Maine earns about $71,861 a year, which makes that rent 45% 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 Scarborough?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Maine (~$71,861/yr) supports up to $1,797 a month in rent. Scarborough's current median rent is $2,694/mo, which is $897/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Scarborough?
At an hourly equivalent of about $35 an hour, a police officer in Maine works roughly 78 hours a month to cover Scarborough's median rent of $2,694.
Where is rent cheaper than Scarborough for a police officer?
Nearby Maine cities with lower median rent include Kittery ($2,683/mo), Kittery ($2,661/mo), Gorham ($2,650/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.