Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Jamestown, RI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 52.3% of gross income.

Jamestown rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Rhode Island state estimate).

Jamestown median rent
$3,500/mo
Police Officer salary (Rhode Island)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
52.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Jamestown's median rent of $3,500 exceeds that threshold by $1,491/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 90.6 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 Rhode Island cities have lower median rent than Jamestown, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Portsmouth, RI
$3,378/mo (50.4% of income)
Portsmouth, RI
$3,288/mo (49.1% of income)
Newport, RI
$3,284/mo (49% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Jamestown

View full rent data for Jamestown, RI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Jamestown, RI?

Median rent in Jamestown is $3,500 a month. A typical police officer in Rhode Island earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 52.3% 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 Jamestown?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Rhode Island (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Jamestown's current median rent is $3,500/mo, which is $1,491/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Rhode Island works roughly 90.6 hours a month to cover Jamestown's median rent of $3,500.

Where is rent cheaper than Jamestown for a police officer?

Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include Portsmouth ($3,378/mo), Portsmouth ($3,288/mo), Newport ($3,284/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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