Minneapolis–St. Paul: what paychecks leave after rent
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area: 1,951,650 jobs, median pay of $59,320 across all occupations, and a $1,427 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Minneapolis–St. Paul, earning the all-occupations median of $59,320, takes home about $4,154 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 34% of that. The median wage is 1.04× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (17% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (60%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,440 (±$9), and median household income was $99,833 (±$641).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Minneapolis–St. Paul
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $130,920 | $8,396 | 22.7 h | 17% | $6,969 | 2.29× |
| Registered Nurse | $103,040 | $6,777 | 28.8 h | 21% | $5,350 | 1.80× |
| Police Officer | $97,190 | $6,434 | 30.5 h | 22% | $5,007 | 1.70× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $86,500 | $5,807 | 34.3 h | 25% | $4,380 | 1.51× |
| Electrician | $81,890 | $5,537 | 36.2 h | 26% | $4,110 | 1.44× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $79,730 | $5,410 | — h | 26% | $3,983 | 1.40× |
| Truck Driver | $64,200 | $4,480 | 46.2 h | 32% | $3,053 | 1.13× |
| Medical Assistant | $52,570 | $3,702 | 56.4 h | 39% | $2,275 | 0.92× |
| Retail Salesperson | $36,670 | $2,637 | 80.9 h | 54% | $1,210 | 0.64× |
| Fast Food Worker | $33,040 | $2,394 | 89.8 h | 60% | $967 | 0.58× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area | 3,657,430 | $1,427 | $1,734 |
| Le Sueur County, MN HUD Metro FMR Area | 29,113 | $839 | $1,098 |
| Mille Lacs County, MN HUD Metro FMR Area | 27,125 | $870 | $1,124 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.