Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Cedar Knolls, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 47.8% of gross income.

Cedar Knolls rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Cedar Knolls median rent
$3,449/mo
Police Officer salary (New Jersey)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
47.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Cedar Knolls's median rent of $3,449 exceeds that threshold by $1,285/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 82.9 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 Jersey cities have lower median rent than Cedar Knolls, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Berkeley Heights, NJ
$3,448/mo (47.8% of income)
Seaside Heights, NJ
$3,447/mo (47.8% of income)
Jackson, NJ
$3,445/mo (47.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Cedar Knolls

View full rent data for Cedar Knolls, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Cedar Knolls, NJ?

Median rent in Cedar Knolls is $3,449 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 47.8% 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 Cedar Knolls?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Cedar Knolls's current median rent is $3,449/mo, which is $1,285/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 82.9 hours a month to cover Cedar Knolls's median rent of $3,449.

Where is rent cheaper than Cedar Knolls for a police officer?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Berkeley Heights ($3,448/mo), Seaside Heights ($3,447/mo), Jackson ($3,445/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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