Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in White Bear Lake, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 25.1% of gross income.

White Bear Lake rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

White Bear Lake median rent
$1,683/mo
Police Officer salary (Minnesota)
$80,361/yr
Rent as % of income
25.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $6,697, and the 30% rule supports up to $2,009/mo in rent. White Bear Lake's median rent of $1,683 leaves roughly $326/mo of headroom under that threshold. A police officer works roughly 43.6 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 White Bear Lake, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:

Forest Lake, MN
$1,682/mo (25.1% of income)
Shakopee, MN
$1,682/mo (25.1% of income)
Bloomington, MN
$1,682/mo (25.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for White Bear Lake

View full rent data for White Bear Lake, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a police officer afford rent in White Bear Lake, MN?

Median rent in White Bear Lake is $1,683 a month. A typical police officer in Minnesota earns about $80,361 a year, which makes that rent 25.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a police officer afford in White Bear Lake?

Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Minnesota (~$80,361/yr) supports up to $2,009 a month in rent. White Bear Lake's current median rent is $1,683/mo, which leaves a $326/mo buffer.

How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in White Bear Lake?

At an hourly equivalent of about $39 an hour, a police officer in Minnesota works roughly 43.6 hours a month to cover White Bear Lake's median rent of $1,683.

Where is rent cheaper than White Bear Lake for a police officer?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Forest Lake ($1,682/mo), Shakopee ($1,682/mo), Bloomington ($1,682/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 White Bear Lake, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.