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

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26.6% of gross income.

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

Saint Michael median rent
$1,778/mo
Police Officer salary (Minnesota)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
26.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. Saint Michael's median rent of $1,778 leaves roughly $231/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 46 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 Michael, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Duluth, MN
$1,775/mo (26.5% of income)
Duluth, MN
$1,772/mo (26.5% of income)
Eden Prairie, MN
$1,772/mo (26.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Saint Michael

View full rent data for Saint Michael, MN

Frequently asked questions

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

Median rent in Saint Michael is $1,778 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 26.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

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

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Saint Michael's current median rent is $1,778/mo, which leaves a $231/mo buffer.

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

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 46 hours a month to cover Saint Michael's median rent of $1,778.

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

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Duluth ($1,775/mo), Duluth ($1,772/mo), Eden Prairie ($1,772/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 Michael, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.