Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Duluth, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 21.8% of gross income.

Duluth rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Duluth median rent
$1,458/mo
Police Officer salary (Minnesota)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
21.8%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Duluth's median rent of $1,458 leaves roughly $551/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 37.7 hours a month to cover that rent.

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 Duluth, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Burnsville, MN
$1,457/mo (21.8% of income)
Little Canada, MN
$1,454/mo (21.7% of income)
South Saint Paul, MN
$1,453/mo (21.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Duluth

View full rent data for Duluth, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Duluth, MN?

Median rent in Duluth is $1,458 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 21.8% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Duluth?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Duluth's current median rent is $1,458/mo, which leaves a $551/mo buffer.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Duluth?

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 37.7 hours a month to cover Duluth's median rent of $1,458.

Where is rent cheaper than Duluth for a police officer?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,457/mo), Little Canada ($1,454/mo), South Saint Paul ($1,453/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.

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