Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Hartford, VT?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 31.3% of gross income.

Hartford rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Vermont state estimate).

Hartford median rent
$1,954/mo
Police Officer salary (Vermont)
$74,952/yr
Rent as % of income
31.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,246, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,874/mo in rent. Hartford's median rent of $1,954 exceeds that threshold by $80/mo, putting a police officer salary into the rent-burdened range here. A police officer works roughly 54.2 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 Vermont cities have lower median rent than Hartford, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Brattleboro, VT
$1,892/mo (30.3% of income)
Brattleboro, VT
$1,875/mo (30% of income)
Brattleboro, VT
$1,753/mo (28.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Hartford

View full rent data for Hartford, VT

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Hartford, VT?

Median rent in Hartford is $1,954 a month. A typical police officer in Vermont earns about $74,952 a year, which makes that rent 31.3% 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 Hartford?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Vermont (~$74,952/yr) supports up to $1,874 a month in rent. Hartford's current median rent is $1,954/mo, which is $80/mo over the affordability threshold.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $36 an hour, a police officer in Vermont works roughly 54.2 hours a month to cover Hartford's median rent of $1,954.

Where is rent cheaper than Hartford for a police officer?

Nearby Vermont cities with lower median rent include Brattleboro ($1,892/mo), Brattleboro ($1,875/mo), Brattleboro ($1,753/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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