Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Buffalo, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.8% of gross income.
Buffalo rent: September 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 Buffalo, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Buffalo
View full rent data for Buffalo, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Buffalo, MN?
Median rent in Buffalo is $1,663 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 24.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Buffalo?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Buffalo's current median rent is $1,663/mo, which leaves a $346/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Buffalo?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 43 hours a month to cover Buffalo's median rent of $1,663.
Where is rent cheaper than Buffalo for a police officer?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Coon Rapids ($1,660/mo), Monticello ($1,660/mo), Edina ($1,659/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.