To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Minnesota needs to pay from $21.71 an hour in Swift County to $47.31 in Anoka County, before taxes. The middle county is Fillmore County at $24.40.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aitkin County | $24.73/hr | $800/mo |
| Anoka County | $47.31/hr | $1,410/mo |
| Becker County | $22.05/hr | $720/mo |
| Beltrami County | $24.40/hr | $790/mo |
| Benton County | $32.41/hr | $1,025/mo |
| Big Stone County | $22.55/hr | $735/mo |
| Blue Earth County | $27.46/hr | $880/mo |
| Brown County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Carlton County | $25.07/hr | $810/mo |
| Carver County | $39.39/hr | $1,210/mo |
| Cass County | $23.05/hr | $750/mo |
| Chippewa County | $26.09/hr | $840/mo |
| Chisago County | $35.83/hr | $1,120/mo |
| Clay County | $22.55/hr | $735/mo |
| Clearwater County | $24.06/hr | $780/mo |
| Cook County | $24.56/hr | $795/mo |
| Cottonwood County | $23.39/hr | $760/mo |
| Crow Wing County | $25.07/hr | $810/mo |
| Dakota County | $45.33/hr | $1,360/mo |
| Dodge County | $31.90/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Douglas County | $23.73/hr | $770/mo |
| Faribault County | $23.05/hr | $750/mo |
| Fillmore County | $24.40/hr | $790/mo |
| Freeborn County | $22.38/hr | $730/mo |
| Goodhue County | $31.90/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Grant County | $22.05/hr | $720/mo |
| Hennepin County | $45.53/hr | $1,365/mo |
| Houston County | $23.73/hr | $770/mo |
| Hubbard County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Isanti County | $35.83/hr | $1,120/mo |
| Itasca County | $24.40/hr | $790/mo |
| Jackson County | $23.39/hr | $760/mo |
| Kanabec County | $24.73/hr | $800/mo |
| Kandiyohi County | $25.75/hr | $830/mo |
| Kittson County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Koochiching County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Lac qui Parle County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Lake County | $26.77/hr | $860/mo |
| Lake of the Woods County | $24.87/hr | $804/mo |
| Le Sueur County | $26.60/hr | $855/mo |
| Lincoln County | $22.38/hr | $730/mo |
| Lyon County | $23.73/hr | $770/mo |
| Mahnomen County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Marshall County | $24.06/hr | $780/mo |
| Martin County | $22.89/hr | $745/mo |
| McLeod County | $27.97/hr | $895/mo |
| Meeker County | $24.40/hr | $790/mo |
| Mille Lacs County | $27.63/hr | $885/mo |
| Morrison County | $24.56/hr | $795/mo |
| Mower County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Murray County | $23.73/hr | $770/mo |
| Nicollet County | $27.46/hr | $880/mo |
| Nobles County | $22.22/hr | $725/mo |
| Norman County | $24.23/hr | $785/mo |
| Olmsted County | $33.61/hr | $1,060/mo |
| Otter Tail County | $22.72/hr | $740/mo |
| Pennington County | $28.48/hr | $910/mo |
| Pine County | $26.43/hr | $850/mo |
| Pipestone County | $22.89/hr | $745/mo |
| Polk County | $25.41/hr | $820/mo |
| Pope County | $23.56/hr | $765/mo |
| Ramsey County | $39.79/hr | $1,220/mo |
| Red Lake County | $24.06/hr | $780/mo |
| Redwood County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Renville County | $26.77/hr | $860/mo |
| Rice County | $34.86/hr | $1,095/mo |
| Rock County | $23.73/hr | $770/mo |
| Roseau County | $21.88/hr | $715/mo |
| Scott County | $44.14/hr | $1,330/mo |
| Sherburne County | $36.42/hr | $1,135/mo |
| Sibley County | $27.46/hr | $880/mo |
| St. Louis County | $23.89/hr | $775/mo |
| Stearns County | $26.77/hr | $860/mo |
| Steele County | $28.99/hr | $925/mo |
| Stevens County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Swift County | $21.71/hr | $710/mo |
| Todd County | $23.73/hr | $770/mo |
| Traverse County | $22.55/hr | $735/mo |
| Wabasha County | $31.90/hr | $1,010/mo |
| Wadena County | $22.38/hr | $730/mo |
| Waseca County | $24.73/hr | $800/mo |
| Washington County | $44.74/hr | $1,345/mo |
| Watonwan County | $22.72/hr | $740/mo |
| Wilkin County | $25.75/hr | $830/mo |
| Winona County | $25.24/hr | $815/mo |
| Wright County | $35.83/hr | $1,120/mo |
| Yellow Medicine County | $22.05/hr | $720/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?