Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Hillsborough Township, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 41.9% of gross income.

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

Hillsborough Township median rent
$3,020/mo
Police Officer salary (New Jersey)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
41.9%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Hillsborough Township's median rent of $3,020 exceeds that threshold by $856/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 72.6 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 Hillsborough Township, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Montville, NJ
$3,018/mo (41.8% of income)
Westfield, NJ
$3,012/mo (41.8% of income)
Metuchen, NJ
$3,010/mo (41.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hillsborough Township

View full rent data for Hillsborough Township, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Hillsborough Township, NJ?

Median rent in Hillsborough Township is $3,020 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 41.9% 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 Hillsborough Township?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Hillsborough Township's current median rent is $3,020/mo, which is $856/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 72.6 hours a month to cover Hillsborough Township's median rent of $3,020.

Where is rent cheaper than Hillsborough Township for a police officer?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Montville ($3,018/mo), Westfield ($3,012/mo), Metuchen ($3,010/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 Hillsborough Township, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.