Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Waite Park, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 18.3% of gross income.
Waite Park 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 Waite Park, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Waite Park
View full rent data for Waite Park, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Waite Park, MN?
Median rent in Waite Park is $1,228 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 18.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Waite Park?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. Waite Park's current median rent is $1,228/mo, which leaves a $781/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Waite Park?
At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 31.8 hours a month to cover Waite Park's median rent of $1,228.
Where is rent cheaper than Waite Park for a police officer?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Burnsville ($1,226/mo), Mankato ($1,217/mo), Saint Cloud ($1,200/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.