Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lebanon, NH?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 38% of gross income.

Lebanon rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Hampshire state estimate).

Lebanon median rent
$2,521/mo
Police Officer salary (New Hampshire)
$79,588/yr
Rent as % of income
38%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,632, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,990/mo in rent. Lebanon's median rent of $2,521 exceeds that threshold by $531/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 65.9 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 New Hampshire cities have lower median rent than Lebanon, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Merrimack, NH
$2,517/mo (38% of income)
Merrimack, NH
$2,512/mo (37.9% of income)
Merrimack, NH
$2,493/mo (37.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lebanon

View full rent data for Lebanon, NH

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Lebanon, NH?

Median rent in Lebanon is $2,521 a month. A typical police officer in New Hampshire earns about $79,588 a year, which makes that rent 38% 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 Lebanon?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Hampshire (~$79,588/yr) supports up to $1,990 a month in rent. Lebanon's current median rent is $2,521/mo, which is $531/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a police officer in New Hampshire works roughly 65.9 hours a month to cover Lebanon's median rent of $2,521.

Where is rent cheaper than Lebanon for a police officer?

Nearby New Hampshire cities with lower median rent include Merrimack ($2,517/mo), Merrimack ($2,512/mo), Merrimack ($2,493/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived New Hampshire state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Lebanon, NH. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.