Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Saint Cloud, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18.4% of gross income.

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

Saint Cloud median rent
$1,232/mo
Police Officer salary (Minnesota)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
18.4%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Saint Cloud's median rent of $1,232 leaves roughly $777/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 31.9 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 Saint Cloud, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Burnsville, MN
$1,226/mo (18.3% of income)
Mankato, MN
$1,217/mo (18.2% of income)
Waite Park, MN
$1,209/mo (18.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Saint Cloud

View full rent data for Saint Cloud, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in Saint Cloud, MN?

Median rent in Saint Cloud is $1,232 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 18.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in Saint Cloud?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Saint Cloud's current median rent is $1,232/mo, which leaves a $777/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 31.9 hours a month to cover Saint Cloud's median rent of $1,232.

Where is rent cheaper than Saint Cloud for a police officer?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,226/mo), Mankato ($1,217/mo), Waite Park ($1,209/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 Saint Cloud, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.