Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Dover, NH?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 34.2% of gross income.
Dover rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire cities have lower median rent than Dover, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Dover
View full rent data for Dover, NH →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Dover, NH?
Median rent in Dover is $2,267 a month. A typical police officer in New Hampshire earns about $79,588 a year, which makes that rent 34.2% 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 Dover?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Hampshire (~$79,588/yr) supports up to $1,990 a month in rent. Dover's current median rent is $2,267/mo, which is $277/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Dover?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in New Hampshire works roughly 59.2 hours a month to cover Dover's median rent of $2,267.
Where is rent cheaper than Dover for a police officer?
Nearby New Hampshire cities with lower median rent include Nashua ($2,216/mo), Exeter ($2,200/mo), Derry ($2,196/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.