Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Lodi, NJ?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 33.4% of gross income.

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

Lodi median rent
$2,408/mo
Police Officer salary (New Jersey)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
33.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Lodi's median rent of $2,408 exceeds that threshold by $244/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 57.9 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 Lodi, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Bloomfield, NJ
$2,407/mo (33.4% of income)
Rahway, NJ
$2,407/mo (33.4% of income)
Carteret, NJ
$2,406/mo (33.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Lodi

View full rent data for Lodi, NJ →

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Lodi, NJ?

Median rent in Lodi is $2,408 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 33.4% 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 Lodi?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Lodi's current median rent is $2,408/mo, which is $244/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 57.9 hours a month to cover Lodi's median rent of $2,408.

Where is rent cheaper than Lodi for a police officer?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Bloomfield ($2,407/mo), Rahway ($2,407/mo), Carteret ($2,406/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 Lodi, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.