Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Forest Lake, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.3% of gross income.
Forest Lake rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Forest Lake, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Forest Lake
View full rent data for Forest Lake, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Forest Lake, MN?
Median rent in Forest Lake is $1,583 a month. A typical registered nurse in Minnesota earns about $98,259 a year, which makes that rent 19.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Forest Lake?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Minnesota (~$98,259/yr) supports up to $2,456 a month in rent. Forest Lake's current median rent is $1,583/mo, which leaves a $873/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Forest Lake?
At an hourly equivalent of about $47 an hour, a registered nurse in Minnesota works roughly 33.5 hours a month to cover Forest Lake's median rent of $1,583.
Where is rent cheaper than Forest Lake for a registered nurse?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Eagan ($1,582/mo), Columbia Heights ($1,581/mo), Coon Rapids ($1,580/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.