Can A Lawyer Afford Rent in Albert Lea, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 6.3% of gross income.

Albert Lea rent: April 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Albert Lea median rent
$960/mo
Lawyer salary (Minnesota)
$183,529/yr
Rent as % of income
6.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $15,294, and the 30% rule supports up to $4,588/mo in rent. Albert Lea's median rent of $960 leaves roughly $3,628/mo of headroom under that threshold. A lawyer works roughly 10.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a lawyer salary

Lawyer pay covers comfortable rent in every US city, but the surplus after rent varies sharply by metro. Big-law and federal-government lawyer pay clusters in a handful of cities where rent is also highest, which compresses the affordability margin. At the national-average lawyer salary, the 30% rule supports about $4,412 a month in rent — above the median rent in even the most expensive US metro.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Albert Lea, which improves the affordability math on a lawyer salary:

Austin, MN
$947/mo (6.2% of income)
Saint Cloud, MN
$905/mo (5.9% of income)
Saint Cloud, MN
$872/mo (5.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Albert Lea

View full rent data for Albert Lea, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a lawyer afford rent in Albert Lea, MN?

Median rent in Albert Lea is $960 a month. A typical lawyer in Minnesota earns about $183,529 a year, which makes that rent 6.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a lawyer afford in Albert Lea?

Using the 30% rule, a lawyer salary in Minnesota (~$183,529/yr) supports up to $4,588 a month in rent. Albert Lea's current median rent is $960/mo, which leaves a $3,628/mo buffer.

How many hours does a lawyer work to cover rent in Albert Lea?

At an hourly equivalent of about $88 an hour, a lawyer in Minnesota works roughly 10.9 hours a month to cover Albert Lea's median rent of $960.

Where is rent cheaper than Albert Lea for a lawyer?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Austin ($947/mo), Saint Cloud ($905/mo), Saint Cloud ($872/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a lawyer salary.

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