Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Rochester, MN?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.6% of gross income.
Rochester rent: September 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 Rochester, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Rochester
View full rent data for Rochester, MN →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Rochester, MN?
Median rent in Rochester is $1,602 a month. A typical registered nurse in Minnesota earns about $98,259 a year, which makes that rent 19.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Rochester?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Minnesota (~$98,259/yr) supports up to $2,456 a month in rent. Rochester's current median rent is $1,602/mo, which leaves a $854/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Rochester?
At an hourly equivalent of about $47 an hour, a registered nurse in Minnesota works roughly 33.9 hours a month to cover Rochester's median rent of $1,602.
Where is rent cheaper than Rochester for a registered nurse?
Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Monticello ($1,599/mo), Coon Rapids ($1,597/mo), Coon Rapids ($1,597/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.