Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Newtown Square, PA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 46.2% of gross income.

Newtown Square rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Pennsylvania state estimate).

Newtown Square median rent
$2,946/mo
Police Officer salary (Pennsylvania)
$76,497/yr
Rent as % of income
46.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,375, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,912/mo in rent. Newtown Square's median rent of $2,946 exceeds that threshold by $1,034/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 80.1 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 Pennsylvania cities have lower median rent than Newtown Square, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Doylestown, PA
$2,869/mo (45% of income)
Newtown, PA
$2,855/mo (44.8% of income)
Doylestown, PA
$2,839/mo (44.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Newtown Square

View full rent data for Newtown Square, PA

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Newtown Square, PA?

Median rent in Newtown Square is $2,946 a month. A typical police officer in Pennsylvania earns about $76,497 a year, which makes that rent 46.2% 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 Newtown Square?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Pennsylvania (~$76,497/yr) supports up to $1,912 a month in rent. Newtown Square's current median rent is $2,946/mo, which is $1,034/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $37 an hour, a police officer in Pennsylvania works roughly 80.1 hours a month to cover Newtown Square's median rent of $2,946.

Where is rent cheaper than Newtown Square for a police officer?

Nearby Pennsylvania cities with lower median rent include Doylestown ($2,869/mo), Newtown ($2,855/mo), Doylestown ($2,839/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Pennsylvania state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Newtown Square, PA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.