Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Saint Paul, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.3% of gross income.
Saint Paul rent: July 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 Saint Paul, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Saint Paul
View full rent data for Saint Paul, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Saint Paul, MN?
Median rent in Saint Paul is $1,495 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 22.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Saint Paul?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Saint Paul's current median rent is $1,495/mo, which leaves a $514/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Saint Paul?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 38.7 hours a month to cover Saint Paul's median rent of $1,495.
Where is rent cheaper than Saint Paul for a police officer?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Maplewood ($1,493/mo), Maplewood ($1,492/mo), Burnsville ($1,492/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.