Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in North Plainfield, NJ?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 29.1% of gross income.
North Plainfield rent: July 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 North Plainfield, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for North Plainfield
View full rent data for North Plainfield, NJ →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in North Plainfield, NJ?
Median rent in North Plainfield is $2,100 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 29.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in North Plainfield?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. North Plainfield's current median rent is $2,100/mo, which leaves a $64/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in North Plainfield?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 50.5 hours a month to cover North Plainfield's median rent of $2,100.
Where is rent cheaper than North Plainfield for a police officer?
Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Plainsboro ($2,099/mo), Plainsboro ($2,098/mo), Budd Lake ($2,098/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.