Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in South Kingstown, RI?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 40.5% of gross income.

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

South Kingstown median rent
$2,713/mo
Police Officer salary (Rhode Island)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
40.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. South Kingstown's median rent of $2,713 exceeds that threshold by $704/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 70.2 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 South Kingstown, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

North Kingstown, RI
$2,674/mo (39.9% of income)
North Kingstown, RI
$2,663/mo (39.8% of income)
Narragansett, RI
$2,653/mo (39.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for South Kingstown

View full rent data for South Kingstown, RI

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in South Kingstown, RI?

Median rent in South Kingstown is $2,713 a month. A typical police officer in Rhode Island earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 40.5% 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 Kingstown?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Rhode Island (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. South Kingstown's current median rent is $2,713/mo, which is $704/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Rhode Island works roughly 70.2 hours a month to cover South Kingstown's median rent of $2,713.

Where is rent cheaper than South Kingstown for a police officer?

Nearby Rhode Island cities with lower median rent include North Kingstown ($2,674/mo), North Kingstown ($2,663/mo), Narragansett ($2,653/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 South Kingstown, RI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.