Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Saint Cloud, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.2% of gross income.
Saint Cloud rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).
About rent and an elementary school teacher salary
Teacher affordability is one of the sharpest local-rent lenses available, because public-school pay scales are set by state and district while rent is set by local market conditions. The result is that two teachers with identical credentials can face very different rent burdens depending on where they teach. At the national-average teacher salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,677 a month in rent — comfortable in most of the Midwest and South, tight in mid-cost cities, and out of reach without roommates in the most expensive coastal markets. The per-city pages below combine local rent with local teacher-pay estimates to show where the math works.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Saint Cloud, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:
Compare with full rent data for Saint Cloud
View full rent data for Saint Cloud, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Saint Cloud, MN?
Median rent in Saint Cloud is $1,232 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in Minnesota earns about $69,763 a year, which makes that rent 21.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can an elementary school teacher afford in Saint Cloud?
Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in Minnesota (~$69,763/yr) supports up to $1,744 a month in rent. Saint Cloud's current median rent is $1,232/mo, which leaves a $512/mo buffer.
How many hours does an elementary school teacher work to cover rent in Saint Cloud?
At an hourly equivalent of about $34 an hour, an elementary school teacher in Minnesota works roughly 36.7 hours a month to cover Saint Cloud's median rent of $1,232.
Where is rent cheaper than Saint Cloud for an elementary school teacher?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,226/mo), Mankato ($1,217/mo), Waite Park ($1,209/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.