Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Prior Lake, MN?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 30.6% of gross income.
Prior Lake 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 Prior Lake, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Prior Lake
View full rent data for Prior Lake, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Prior Lake, MN?
Median rent in Prior Lake is $2,051 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 30.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Prior Lake?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Prior Lake's current median rent is $2,051/mo, which is $42/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Prior Lake?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 53.1 hours a month to cover Prior Lake's median rent of $2,051.
Where is rent cheaper than Prior Lake for a police officer?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Woodbury ($2,049/mo), Vadnais Heights ($2,046/mo), Maple Grove ($2,042/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.