Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Maplewood, NJ?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 39.9% of gross income.
Maplewood rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (New Jersey state estimate).
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 Maplewood, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Maplewood
View full rent data for Maplewood, NJ →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Maplewood, NJ?
Median rent in Maplewood is $2,875 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 39.9% 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 Maplewood?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Maplewood's current median rent is $2,875/mo, which is $711/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Maplewood?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 69.1 hours a month to cover Maplewood's median rent of $2,875.
Where is rent cheaper than Maplewood for a police officer?
Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include West Orange ($2,874/mo), Bridgewater Township ($2,873/mo), Summit ($2,872/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.