Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Albert Lea, MN?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.5% of gross income.

Albert Lea rent: April 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Albert Lea median rent
$960/mo
Truck Driver salary (Minnesota)
$58,978/yr
Rent as % of income
19.5%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,915, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,474/mo in rent. Albert Lea's median rent of $960 leaves roughly $514/mo of headroom under that threshold. A truck driver works roughly 33.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a truck driver salary

Truck driver pay covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost US metros and stretches thin in the highest-cost ones. Because many drivers can base anywhere along their route, the home-city rent decision has an outsized effect on take-home. At the national-average driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,418 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range and which push it out of reach.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Albert Lea, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Austin, MN
$947/mo (19.3% of income)
Saint Cloud, MN
$905/mo (18.4% of income)
Saint Cloud, MN
$872/mo (17.7% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Albert Lea

View full rent data for Albert Lea, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Albert Lea, MN?

Median rent in Albert Lea is $960 a month. A typical truck driver in Minnesota earns about $58,978 a year, which makes that rent 19.5% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Albert Lea?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in Minnesota (~$58,978/yr) supports up to $1,474 a month in rent. Albert Lea's current median rent is $960/mo, which leaves a $514/mo buffer.

How many hours does a truck driver work to cover rent in Albert Lea?

At an hourly equivalent of about $28 an hour, a truck driver in Minnesota works roughly 33.9 hours a month to cover Albert Lea's median rent of $960.

Where is rent cheaper than Albert Lea for a truck driver?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Austin ($947/mo), Saint Cloud ($905/mo), Saint Cloud ($872/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Minnesota state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Albert Lea, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.