Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Forked River, NJ?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 38.8% of gross income.

Forked River rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).

Forked River median rent
$2,800/mo
Police Officer salary (New Jersey)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
38.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Forked River's median rent of $2,800 exceeds that threshold by $636/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 67.3 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 Forked River, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Glassboro, NJ
$2,799/mo (38.8% of income)
Parsippany, NJ
$2,799/mo (38.8% of income)
Freehold, NJ
$2,797/mo (38.8% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Forked River

View full rent data for Forked River, NJ →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Forked River, NJ?

Median rent in Forked River is $2,800 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 38.8% 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 Forked River?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Forked River's current median rent is $2,800/mo, which is $636/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 67.3 hours a month to cover Forked River's median rent of $2,800.

Where is rent cheaper than Forked River for a police officer?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Glassboro ($2,799/mo), Parsippany ($2,799/mo), Freehold ($2,797/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 Forked River, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.