Most affordable counties to rent in Minnesota

Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Cook County is the most affordable at 18.7%; Isanti County the least affordable at 38.2%.

CountyRent-to-incomeMedian gross rentMedian renter incomeRenters paying 30%+2 BR FMR FY2027
1. Cook County18.7%$886$56,94041%$1,022
2. Jackson County18.8%$787$50,25638%$1,014
3. Yellow Medicine County20.2%$678$40,18830%$1,014
4. Sibley County20.9%$855$49,16742%$1,014
5. Faribault County22.9%$799$41,79543%$1,014
6. McLeod County23.8%$941$47,45940%$1,073
7. Fillmore County24.0%$797$39,92540%$1,014
8. Wabasha County24.0%$830$41,45338%$1,014
9. Cottonwood County24.1%$817$40,75030%$1,014
10. Koochiching County24.3%$671$33,17432%$1,014
11. Nobles County24.7%$896$43,54242%$1,076
12. Benton County24.7%$982$47,69840%$1,233
13. Martin County24.7%$761$36,93851%$1,014
14. Roseau County24.9%$880$42,48234%$1,014
15. Brown County25.0%$890$42,80248%$1,071
16. Kandiyohi County25.0%$909$43,57742%$1,026
17. Morrison County25.1%$788$37,70037%$1,014
18. Nicollet County25.4%$970$45,90140%$1,230
19. Cass County25.4%$863$40,81539%$1,014
20. Le Sueur County25.6%$942$44,22545%$1,098
21. Wright County25.6%$1,288$60,35041%$1,734
22. Wadena County25.7%$746$34,87737%$1,059
23. Mower County25.9%$927$42,96244%$1,080
24. Pennington County26.0%$862$39,79236%$1,142
25. Carver County26.4%$1,514$68,81143%$1,734
26. Todd County26.5%$908$41,19444%$1,025
27. Sherburne County26.6%$1,127$50,81646%$1,734
28. Watonwan County26.7%$834$37,53036%$1,014
29. Meeker County26.9%$904$40,35446%$1,089
30. Dodge County26.9%$1,020$45,42142%$1,422
31. Beltrami County27.1%$1,053$46,63944%$1,230
32. Crow Wing County27.2%$971$42,82745%$1,172
33. Houston County27.6%$879$38,26149%$1,343
34. Waseca County27.6%$883$38,40938%$1,030
35. Otter Tail County28.3%$868$36,83043%$1,071
36. Blue Earth County28.3%$1,123$47,61448%$1,230
37. Renville County28.4%$790$33,41346%$1,014
38. Winona County28.4%$907$38,25951%$1,118
39. Hubbard County28.7%$905$37,87347%$1,020
40. Olmsted County28.8%$1,370$57,05448%$1,422
41. Douglas County29.0%$927$38,37543%$1,027
42. Carlton County29.2%$1,009$41,51947%$1,207
43. Redwood County29.2%$757$31,12948%$1,014
44. Freeborn County29.5%$849$34,53145%$1,033
45. Kanabec County29.5%$962$39,10741%$1,014
46. Hennepin County29.8%$1,487$59,89048%$1,734
47. Stearns County29.9%$1,068$42,82650%$1,233
48. Mille Lacs County29.9%$903$36,20242%$1,124
49. Becker County30.0%$920$36,77546%$1,105
50. Dakota County30.6%$1,548$60,76350%$1,734
51. Swift County30.6%$920$36,10256%$1,014
52. Chippewa County30.8%$869$33,81343%$1,014
53. Rice County30.9%$1,083$42,06845%$1,226
54. Washington County31.1%$1,710$65,98051%$1,734
55. Stevens County31.2%$951$36,57145%$1,027
56. Ramsey County31.2%$1,329$51,09651%$1,734
57. Anoka County31.4%$1,464$55,97451%$1,734
58. Chisago County31.8%$1,186$44,74653%$1,734
59. Clay County32.0%$1,019$38,24453%$1,104
60. Polk County32.1%$855$31,94955%$1,014
61. Scott County32.6%$1,568$57,68552%$1,734
62. St. Louis County32.8%$1,013$37,11453%$1,207
63. Pine County32.8%$877$32,04247%$1,096
64. Itasca County33.1%$988$35,85358%$1,164
65. Goodhue County33.2%$966$34,88150%$1,172
66. Steele County33.9%$1,061$37,58861%$1,244
67. Aitkin County34.8%$869$30,00047%$1,048
68. Pope County35.8%$902$30,27367%$1,088
69. Isanti County38.2%$1,273$39,97050%$1,734

Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 18 of 87 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.

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