Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Margate City, NJ?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 95.1% of gross income.

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

Margate City median rent
$6,862/mo
Police Officer salary (New Jersey)
$86,542/yr
Rent as % of income
95.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $7,212, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,164/mo in rent. Margate City's median rent of $6,862 exceeds that threshold by $4,698/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 164.9 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 Margate City, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Spring Lake, NJ
$6,724/mo (93.2% of income)
Spring Lake, NJ
$6,686/mo (92.7% of income)
Cresskill, NJ
$6,663/mo (92.4% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Margate City

View full rent data for Margate City, NJ

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Margate City, NJ?

Median rent in Margate City is $6,862 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 95.1% 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 Margate City?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Margate City's current median rent is $6,862/mo, which is $4,698/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 164.9 hours a month to cover Margate City's median rent of $6,862.

Where is rent cheaper than Margate City for a police officer?

Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Spring Lake ($6,724/mo), Spring Lake ($6,686/mo), Cresskill ($6,663/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 Margate City, NJ. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.