Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in South Plainfield, NJ?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 38.9% of gross income.
South Plainfield rent: June 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 South Plainfield, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for South Plainfield
View full rent data for South Plainfield, NJ →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in South Plainfield, NJ?
Median rent in South Plainfield is $2,805 a month. A typical police officer in New Jersey earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 38.9% 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 South Plainfield?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in New Jersey (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. South Plainfield's current median rent is $2,805/mo, which is $641/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in South Plainfield?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in New Jersey works roughly 67.4 hours a month to cover South Plainfield's median rent of $2,805.
Where is rent cheaper than South Plainfield for a police officer?
Nearby New Jersey cities with lower median rent include Brick ($2,804/mo), Cranford ($2,804/mo), Brick ($2,803/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.