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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 1 cities (50%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting. We ran the numbers on 2 cities in Minnesota using 2026 census, rent, and sa…
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 1 cities (50%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting. We ran the numbers on 2 cities in Minnesota using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. St Paul comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
In plain English: St Paul earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 87 cost index sits 24 points below the national baseline, and the $73,055 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $289,137 — $178,233 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 87, while Healthcare trails at 97.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: St Paul — cost index 87, rent $1,485/mo, income $73,055
1 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
1 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
303,820 residents · Minnesota
St Paul earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 87 cost index sits 24 points below the national baseline, and the $73,055 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $289,137 — $178,233 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 87, while Healthcare trails at 97 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
425,115 residents · Minnesota
A closer look at Minneapolis: the cost index of 96 breaks down to a Housing index of 96 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 99 (weakest). Median rent is $1,638/month — 14% below the national median — while household income sits at $80,269, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 1 cities (50%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting.
Rent in #1-ranked St Paul has increased from $1,443 to $1,485/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Paul | $1,485 | 30% | 87 | Details |
| 2 | Minneapolis | $1,638 | 33% | 96 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1St Paul | 9.85% | 7.545% | 1.02% | $41,247 |
2Minneapolis | 9.85% | 7.545% | 1.02% | $41,247 |
St Paul ranks #1 in Minnesota for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $73,055.
Yes. On a $60K salary in St Paul, rent would consume about 30% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
St Paul (ranked #1) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,485/mo, while Minneapolis (ranked #2) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,638/mo — a 9-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in St Paul is $1,485/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $410 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 9.85% state income tax, estimated take-home on $60K in St Paul is approximately $41,247/year ($3,437/month). After median rent of $1,485/month, you'd have roughly $23,427/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in St Paul is $289,137, which is 4.0× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Minnesota has a 9.85% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.545%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.02%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.