Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Austin, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 14.1% of gross income.
Austin rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).
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 Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Austin, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Austin
View full rent data for Austin, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Austin, MN?
Median rent in Austin is $947 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 14.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Austin?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Austin's current median rent is $947/mo, which leaves a $1,062/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Austin?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 24.5 hours a month to cover Austin's median rent of $947.
Where is rent cheaper than Austin for a police officer?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Albert Lea ($923/mo), Saint Cloud ($905/mo), Saint Cloud ($872/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.