Can A Carpenter Afford Rent in Waite Park, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.3% of gross income.

Waite Park rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Waite Park median rent
$1,228/mo
Carpenter salary (Minnesota)
$63,378/yr
Rent as % of income
23.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,282, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,584/mo in rent. Waite Park's median rent of $1,228 leaves roughly $356/mo of headroom under that threshold. A carpenter works roughly 40.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a carpenter salary

Carpenter pay sits modestly above the US median household income and covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost metros. Union carpenters in high-cost cities often earn well above the BLS mean. At the national-average carpenter salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,524 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Waite Park, which improves the affordability math on a carpenter salary:

Burnsville, MN
$1,226/mo (23.2% of income)
Mankato, MN
$1,217/mo (23% of income)
Saint Cloud, MN
$1,200/mo (22.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Waite Park

View full rent data for Waite Park, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a carpenter afford rent in Waite Park, MN?

Median rent in Waite Park is $1,228 a month. A typical carpenter in Minnesota earns about $63,378 a year, which makes that rent 23.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a carpenter afford in Waite Park?

Using the 30% rule, a carpenter salary in Minnesota (~$63,378/yr) supports up to $1,584 a month in rent. Waite Park's current median rent is $1,228/mo, which leaves a $356/mo buffer.

How many hours does a carpenter work to cover rent in Waite Park?

At an hourly equivalent of about $30 an hour, a carpenter in Minnesota works roughly 40.3 hours a month to cover Waite Park's median rent of $1,228.

Where is rent cheaper than Waite Park for a carpenter?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,226/mo), Mankato ($1,217/mo), Saint Cloud ($1,200/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a carpenter salary.

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