Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Bristol, RI?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.6% of gross income.
Bristol rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island cities have lower median rent than Bristol, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bristol
View full rent data for Bristol, RI →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Bristol, RI?
Median rent in Bristol is $2,181 a month. A typical police officer in Rhode Island earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 32.6% 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 Bristol?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Rhode Island (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Bristol's current median rent is $2,181/mo, which is $172/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Bristol?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Rhode Island works roughly 56.5 hours a month to cover Bristol's median rent of $2,181.
Where is rent cheaper than Bristol for a police officer?
Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include East Greenwich ($2,178/mo), Cumberland ($2,174/mo), East Greenwich ($2,173/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.