Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Minneapolis, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.2% of gross income.

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

Minneapolis median rent
$1,686/mo
Police Officer salary (Minnesota)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
25.2%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Minneapolis's median rent of $1,686 leaves roughly $323/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.6 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 Minneapolis, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Saint Louis Park, MN
$1,684/mo (25.1% of income)
Bloomington, MN
$1,684/mo (25.1% of income)
White Bear Lake, MN
$1,683/mo (25.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Minneapolis

View full rent data for Minneapolis, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Minneapolis, MN?

Median rent in Minneapolis is $1,686 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 25.2% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Minneapolis?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Minneapolis's current median rent is $1,686/mo, which leaves a $323/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 43.6 hours a month to cover Minneapolis's median rent of $1,686.

Where is rent cheaper than Minneapolis for a police officer?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Saint Louis Park ($1,684/mo), Bloomington ($1,684/mo), White Bear Lake ($1,683/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 Minneapolis, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.