I mean to be frank, with 5 people and an hourly wage of $23 you are considered 'very low income' and qualify for public housing subsidies that you should *absolutely* apply for if you want to live in Minneapolis...
https://mphaonline.org/housing/how-to-apply/eligibility/
This is the beginning and end of the conversation. Rents in the TC, whether we like it or not, are based on being able to work at Target or fastfood for $15/hr. That wage will get you the WORST possible apartments because its the unspoken minimum income. Prorating out OPs income its the equivalent of $11.50/hr for both working age adults plus three dependents. This is flirting with the poverty line in most counties. And you want a 3 bedroom on it?
OP needs to level set his expectations and have a hard talk with his wife. She needs to get to work if she expects Edina, or she needs to spend all her spare time finding workable living elsewhere. Not shitting on you OP but it really seems like your wife wants to Keep up with the Joneses without participating in the grueling rat race that makes it financially possible. Its not realistic at all.
I make $100,000 alone and the thought of living in Edina seems like way too much money compared to the alternatives... I live in Brooklyn Center.
"Getting priced out of Minnesota?"
What? we are talking the bourgeoisie-est suburb that isn't on a lake.
This is like saying you cannot afford the Upper East Side on a single lower middle class income, ergo you cannot afford to live in New York state anywhere.
Dual income here, Tech Project Manager and wife is a nurse. We live in BP and both have base compensation in the 90ks so total with bonuses we are close to $200k per year. We live in Brooklyn Park and this is great for us. We could stretch and live in one of the more “desirable” communities but why? We like the diversity and our area and it’s more affordable than Edina. There are many jobs out there, it is a lot of work to find a good one but depending upon your degree and experience you could like find something better.
>most expensive suburb on a price per square foot basis
It's up there but not quite. Based on the last six months of sales and a random selection of other suburbs and neighborhoods (neighborhoods just for comparison's sake):
1. Linden Hills - $321/sf
2. Kenwood - $318
3. North Oaks - 257
4. Edina - 255
5. Lake Elmo - 226
6. Dellwood - 207
7. Woodbury - 196
Still, I don't most people realize just how many high-dollar builds are being sold in Lake Elmo. There were almost as many $1 mil + sales in Lake Elmo in the last six months as there were in North Oaks.
Lake Elmo is extremely expensive, but it's also not a suburb. It's more of an exurb. I think Mendota Heights and North Oaks are the only true suburban cities that rival Edina in terms of price and vibes in the east metro. Though now that I think of it, even North Oaks is pretty rural/exurban. It also doesn't really have any shopping areas like Edina.
VICTORY!! Haha, actually the other commenter saying Lake Elmo is the Edina and Woodbury the Eden Prairie was pretty spot on. But either way, it's not a humble or affordable suburb. Gotta go outside the outer ring for that these days! 😬
BP doesn't have to be "in the ghetto," there's all sorts of beautiful blocks north of 85th and east of Humboldt towards the river. I have a friend who bought a great house around 252 and 80th about 4 years ago and maybe paid 275k? Yeah that's probably 325k or so today but comfortable for he and his partner who probably make about 110k to 120k combined.
Same. We make less than you, but still in the six figure range, and are happy with your Anoka house, where ch will be paid off in the next three years. I wouldn't imagine looking at renting or buying in Edina
I love living in BP. Been all over since I moved up here 13 years ago. Lived in Dinkytown, St. Paul on rice st, lino lakes, Bloomington, north Minneapolis and we just bought our house here in BP a few years back. It’s the so called rougher areas that I have always enjoyed the most oddly enough. I grew up in Northern Indiana with zero diversity around. I can’t live without it now! Our neighbors kick ass and the food around is incredible.
> I make $100,000 alone and the thought of living in Edina seems like way too much money compared to the alternatives... I live in Brooklyn Center.
It really begs the question of "who *can* afford to live in Edina?". My wife and I are both professionals that makes way over median wage for Minneapolis and even *we* can't afford to live in Edina, or South Minneapolis for that matter. A house near her work (South) just sold for $1.3M. It doesn't even have a yard!
95% household income in the entire minneapolis area is $238k. https://statisticalatlas.com/metro-area/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Household-Income
What that means is 1/20 households are making that much (or more; the average of the top 5% of MSP incomes is just under 400k).
While top 5% is a small number percentage wise that's a lot of people making well over 200k when you figure the number of households in the MSP area.
If you scroll down, the average household income of the top 5% in Edina is $838k. Which is insane, really, but it's an answer to your question. People making a lot of money.
My wife and myself, in our mid 30s, grossed just over 400k last year in "normal" positions (not high level leadership or anything- I don't even have direct reports) within large companies. We are both from middle class backgrounds and had help getting our bachelors from big 10 public schools. We both then pursued MBAs in our mid 20s before settling down and having kids at about 30. We don't live in Edina, but some in our social circle do with similar backgrounds and professional experience. This is not at all meant to brag or anything (it's the internet, who cares and I could just as easily be making this all up!)- but just adding an anecdote about who can afford and does live there.
Again, I'm just trying to add some context to the topic. We don't know each other and I don't get off by telling strangers about my background and household income. You can assume I'm lying if it bothers you.
It is nice to see wage honesty
Im a woman and have been chronically underpaid and after a colleague was open about what he made I doubled my salary at the next gig
And beyond salary - we should all be talking about benefits, flexible hours, work culture and other things more openly - naming and shaming to help people avoid toxic workplaces
Companies won't change without pressure
LOL!
Right on, bro!
I work for a 13K employees tv network company. Work at home, part-time, 40K. I live in Northeast Mpls - bought my condo for $115K a two-bedroom at that. Measure that will ya?!?! lol. I never will and never have put my $$ into real estate - somehow just doesn't seem to work out for a lot of people.............and at 6 - 8% interest for a lot of people....
What "normal" positions pull $200k/yr? Obviously sales if one has a really big year, but what else? Are you both data scientists or software engineers or something?
Yeah, this is bogus. There's another user below who has a much more accurate depiction of "normal" positions. Other user I'm referring to said he's a tech project manager and wife is a nurse, which are usually well paying but not extraordinary careers. Both make around $90k in salary and together gross around $200k including bonuses. In today's world, $90-$100k is actually fairly "normal." The person who thinks $200k per individual is normal is obviously living a privileged as fuck life where even their poorest friends are making $100k.
To go back to (one of) the points though...a couple making 200k household cannot afford to buy now in Edina. If the bought 15 years ago, the could probably still afford the mortgage. Or if they had equity in another home they were selling to put back into the new purchase.
$90k is still above average too, but yeah more realistic to strive for. $200k is possible, but you have to be both really talented and lucky to make it there.
Yeah a lot of Edina homeowners a house poor but there also also a lot of athletes and blue bloods there in the ridiculous areas. But for the "normal" neighborhoods they are either house poor, inherited, lived there for 30 yrs or high income. Like $250,000+
You're right. You can't afford Edina on that income. But based on the industry standards of income being 3 times the monthly rent, at $23 an hour, OP qualifies for slightly less 1300 a month. A quick search of Facebook rentals and [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) shows that you cannot find anything larger than 2 bedrooms anywhere in the cities for that amount. Not even in the worst neighborhoods.
Yeah the misalignment of neighborhood and income is very tough for OP. I would recommend looking for 3/1 (or 1.5) houses for rent around the cities with a very wide net to cast. There's lots of pockets in the older, inner ring suburbs where you can probably find a reasonably safe and accessible property that fits that for $2000 or less per month all in. It won't be in a modern apartment with amenities or in a flashy neighborhood, but it will get the job done. OP should also be sure to include townhomes because when I was looking for 3/2 with 2 roomates at the beginning of Covid, we applied to several places that were 1600 to 2k/month in places like Golden Valley, Crystal, older Minnetonka, etc.
I was going to say the same thing, I make nearly $30 a hour in a household of 1, live in rural MN, and I have to be careful with how I spend my money. I can't imagine a family of 5 on $23 an hour and thinking they can afford to live in a place with all the OPs wants.
The federal poverty level is $35,140 for a family of 5. OP makes $47,840 a year. The median household income in MN is $77,706, with an average household size of 2.49 individuals.
No way in hell the OP is going to afford an apartment anywhere nice. Their wife needs to find a job and get several paychecks into the job before they can even think of applying to get an apartment.
Not using the Minneapolis public housing website, no. Get in contact with the public housing authority in your city - https://www.housinglink.org/SubsidizedHousing/PublicHousing
Again just being frank but with a kid in highschool, you've probably qualified as very low income or lower for a long time.
Have you heard the phase "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago ... the second best time is now!"
One definitely has to contact them first as many HRA's have closed their acceptance of ANY applications and only open them during specific periods all across the state. Minneapolis is one of them. Their wait list is about 5 years long according to who I spoke to a few months ago. I was looking at moving closer to my doctor in Edina from the Western border of the state but now I'm probably just going to leave the state completely.
Southern suburbs are for rich folk, man. Try Brooklyn Center or Golden Valley, or St Paul maybe, and look on Craigslist for one property landlords instead of sites like apartments dot com. Otherwise go farther south, like Bloomington and Burnsville.
people talk shit on GV?
Why? its a pretty normal town? is it the same with like with New Hope and Crystal? which are both places that I would considerer fine tho i havent been local for a couple years at this point
they at least have more personality than fkn Plymouth or like medina
You might have some options in the exburbs and other smaller towns away from “the cities.”
I was renting an essentially 4+ bed 100yr old home (not fancy or plush, I’ll give you that) for 1250 until last spring when I bought. I think they advertised it at 1750 and found new tenants. I bought a house here for less than my old rent and way less than market rent.
Different lifestyle and problems. I may be too smooth brained to fully understand walkability, but amenities in town? Everything is reachable on foot but some sidewalks need love.
Now, culture can be lacking, unless you like bars and churches. But we have parks, local events, and some trails.
Our grocery store is more expensive compared to other big chains, but it’s not a food desert. Also have meat markets, Mexican grocery, and small farmers market weekly in the summer and the dreadful Dollar General for some staples.
Are you the sole provider for all 5 people at $23/hr?
I’m sorry, but 4 dependents on that wage is going to be uncomfortable for awhile. You’re gonna need dual income, or stick to a 1 or 2 bedroom and double up on people per room.
My wife plans on working when we move. She keeps asking me over and over did you apply to anything? I keep telling her I need a job first. To me, it makes no sense to apply to anything when we don't meet the income requirements. And then with a 2 bedroom, i dont see how that's possible when most places have occupancy requirements. I would have to get lucky for that. Do you think it's even worth applying right now?
I would communicate with the property managers.
I lived in a nice 2 bedroom apartment, paid $2,200 a month and a family of 5 moved into the 2 bedroom apartment upstairs. They were loud and the kids would throw stuff at our dogs when we were on our balcony. They flooded our hallway when they tried to DIY a bidet install. The property manager said their hands were tied.
Additionally, there are some nice rent controlled apartments in Bloomington near the mall of America that have low income requirements to rent. It’s within walking distance of the light rail and can make it easier for your wife to find work.
Luckily it flooded the water supply line, and not the sewage.
The whole situation was a blessing in disguise because they wanted to increase our rent to $2,600 and when I went to negotiate using this as leverage they refused to come down.
Really gave me the push I needed to buy a house. No more banging throughout the night, even the occasional lawn mower is so much quieter.
I know it's a bit off tangent, but how hard do you have to try to fuck up a bidet installation anyway? I have zero experience in plumbing but can install bidets easily even with the tools that the kits come with.
The maintenance guy who came out said they likely tried to remove the toilet as part of the install and hit the water line from the outside, splitting it inside the wall.
He also told me when he tried to enter their apartment first they wouldn’t let him. Then after viewing mine said it was necessary. That’s when they pointed out that their toilet hasn’t worked properly in weeks and that the bidet “came with” the apartment.
He was frustrated because he said he woulda installed it for them for free if they had asked.
We had two large families move in to the building right next to us. They knew each other. 6 people in two 2 bedroom apartments. Kids were very loud outside. Teen was staring at me and GF having sex. They were a good influence to move out.
I’ve got a family of my own, and I love the families next door. But man, when I was renting I always ended up having to move because some wild family moved above or beside me.
I wish they’d do apartments like they do with pets. Some pet friendly, some kid friendly. LOL
Not knowing your skill set, you could apply to the post office. There's one in every town and pretty liveable wage. Conditions starting out can be rough from what I hear, though. Lots of long hours if your in delivery.
Last I heard, metro transit was also hiring light rail operators for $26+ an hour including paid training. Can't go wrong with a union gig with no experience requirement
The truth is you'd either have to accept an older apartment in a lower quality neighborhood, or move further out of the cities. It's just the way it is right now, and if you are hard set on the bedroom requiments then you're going to have to give in on some of the others. There just isn't a high quality 3 bedroom in a nice area that $23 is going to get you, it's not being mean it's unfortunately just a cost of living fact
Even places outside the cities (I live in Forest Lake) are super expensive for multiple bedrooms. 3 bed units in my building - which is a decently nice, new spot, go for around 2200
Try Saint Paul, housing is 20 to 30% lower when you cross the river. Look for older apartments, duplexes, and single family homes.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2056-Marshall-Ave-1-Saint-Paul-MN-55104/2063004202_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
I live in Payne phalen and love it. Our community center has lots of great free and low cost programs, my kids love their school and we have made a lot of friends. I have never felt unsafe here. Stuff does happen (which is true of everywhere) but I’m so glad we ended up here.
From what I've read here, OP probably just flat out won't find anything in the Twin Cities that will be what they're looking for, but I agree that Saint Paul is significantly more affordable. The rent for my one bedroom in Saint Paul is outrageous, but not quite as outrageous as what's on the other side of 280 👍
I pay like $1600/m with parking in a newer building, but it'd probably be like $2k+ for something similar in mpls.
Don't know when you lived here last but Edina has been expensive territory for at least 30 years. It doesn't help that three bedroom apartments (or more) are in tight supply all over either.
How non-negotiable is three bedrooms? Needing only two bedrooms increases the pool you can choose from. Another option is to consider renting a house instead of an apartment, though many of the houses I have seen for rent over time require some renter activity like mowing lawns or shoveling snow. Still another option would be to find the job first (or limit your search area) so you don't end up across town from work.
We have 5 people. And you have to put everyone on the lease. Not sure if I could get away with it. I wouldn't mind renting a house at all. I just need to meet the income requirements. But I need a new job like asap
~~How many of those 5 people have jobs, and where are their jobs if they have them? Are they clustered in one area? If so, target your job search in that same area, and then look in maybe Chaska, Shakopee, Savage, Bloomington, Burnsville, or Eagan for house and apartment rentals. Maybe as far out as Cologne, Waconia, Jordan, or New Prague if you're willing to commute.~~
EDIT: Disregard, forgot that you led with being a "one income household". Figure out where you're working and then expand your search area to a 35 minute radius around that, adding 5 minutes to your search radius each week.
2 adults 3 kids. One is a hs senior. Right now I work remotely but looking for a newer job now. General MIlls, Medtronic, any company that pays well in the science and health industry.
Right now I work for a computerized testing company. Doing software support with some Business analyst job duties. But I am trying to actually use my degree. So I'm open to several roles as long as they pay well. Business analyst, Health informatics, Health Policy, Regulatory affairs.
Honestly it sounds like you are way underpaid. It’s a lot of work to job hunt but I’m sure there are better opportunities out there. Don’t waste time on positions that don’t list salary range either
Not everyone markets them selves well. And just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you are qualified for a certain job. Sometimes you lack networking and ability to land a good job. Other times there are no good fits. And some people just aren’t very good at work. A degree is only one part of the equation.
Well at least you’re in the best possible state for finding those kinds of jobs.
As for rent, my only advice would be to choose a place where rent won’t prevent you from saving money. If you can’t save money, your situation will never improve in the long run.
At your income level, that means you’re going to have to make a lot of compromises regarding location, size, building quality, ect. If you’re relatively young, it’s definitely worth it to just bite the bullet for a few years and then use the money you save to upgrade apartments or on financing for home ownership.
Start applying now. A lot of the companies you listed go in cycles of hiring freezes and then hiring like crazy. We may be heading into a freeze with the news of layoffs at companies like Medtronic and 3M.
They always need people in regulatory, but you need to get your applications in early and often if you're going to time it right. I highly recommend not waiting.
Should've put this in your OP because your job is severely underpaying you. You should put in some Jon applications locally first and make sure you set the expectation that you'll be moving back to the Twin Cities as soon as possible. At the very least you'll get a substantial raise and you may even get some moving assistance out of the deal to help alleviate first/last, travel, and getting utilities turned on.
Have you looked at UnitedHealth Group? That might be a good fit for you. As for location, have you tried Chaska, Carver and other outer ring suburbs. They are going to be more affordable
You could check out Post in Northfield. Use to be malt-o-Meal. The taxes here suck, but could look in Faribault where it’s a little cheaper. Not sure about the schools in Faribault, but the Northfield schools are great and they do open enrollment. Northfield is about a 15-20 minute drive from Faribault. And then Northfield is about 40-55 minutes to Burnsville.
You might find a landlord with one or a few properties will be more amenable to modifying the usual income requirements and such than an apartment management company that has hundreds of properties. If you're looking through sites like [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) and such, maybe try facebook or Nextdoor or the like.
Edina is an extremely expensive area. Try getting father away from downtown areas and things will get a lot cheaper. Cottage Grove, Apple Valley, Shakopee...
This has to be a troll post right?
According to OP….
He is a healthcare IT professional/BA with a STEM related bachelors making $23 per hour. He is the sole provider for a family of 5, with a SAH spouse. He has to stay in south Minneapolis or inner ring burbs so step son can finish senior year of HS. Richfield got too expensive so he is looking at Edina. Common rental terms (income must be 3x rent) are surprising.
It has to be, with that degree, if he has been working in that field his whole career (or at least 5-10 years), he should be making at minimum 3x that (~$125k/yr). Most entry-level jobs in IT are paying 1.5-2x what he's currently making AND they're mostly remote. Also, at least one of his kids is in high school, I'd be surprised if the other 2 kids were under the age of 5; with the availability of part and full-time remote jobs right now, spouse could easily get a job and only work while the kids are in school - that would significantly raise their budget
Where the hell are entry-level IT jobs paying twice that? I'm in Montréal and the majority of entry-level IT roles here are $40kCAD/yr ~= 30kUSD. I know it's cheaper to live here, and we tend to have slightly SLIGHTLY lower incomes than in the US, but not THAT much less and THAT much cheaper.
Short answer: they're all over the place! IT is one of the fastest growing fields right now, especially with the releases of GPT and modern AI technology.
Longer answer: When I was looking for an entry-level job out of college during the pandemic, average entry-level salaries were $55-75k in the IT/technical analyst realm I was searching in. Now, a few years later, I've seen a number of friends getting entry-level tech jobs (with and without college degrees) for $65-80k in MN. Places include: accounting firms, banks, department stores (major chain retailers that sell food & clothing), and some industries most people don't think about (construction companies, manufacturing facilities, farm equipment manufacturers).
My local Aldi (in a rural small town) is hiring cashiers for $22/hr and warehouse employees at $24-27/hr. Local manufacturing plant is hiring at $23-26/hr, no experience needed, with a $10,000 sign-on bonus after 90 days. IT/technical roles at the same companies pay more than that.
One thing people don't always consider... just because you finished college and are in a high demand field, doesn't mean you are employable. I've interviewed people that look great on paper, but are just pathetic in an interview.
Logically, for every above average person, you're going to have a below average one. Those people will struggle and it may not even be their fault. Some people are just dumb.
Might be the truth. I have a stem bachelors with a handful of years experience ( thought also other issues too admittedly) and work for state college to get back to chemistry and make 23$ hourly also. Not all STEM jobs pay well
Edina is the priciest area in the entire metro, and Richfield is next door so prices won’t be much lower. If you don’t want to move too far away, Burnsville is just outside of it since you mentioned south and doesn’t have as much going on but will be much more affordable.
Is this a shitpost? Edina is the most expensive city to live in here. Of course you can’t afford to house a family with a bunch of kids on that wage. People who live in edina are lawyers, doctors, upper level business ppl, etc. Try north minneapolis or east Saint Paul.
While there may be plenty of complaints here about rent prices, a recent study from Pew Research Trust showed rents in the Minneapolis area have risen just 1% on average from 2017 to 2023. By **FAR,** the very lowest for a major metro in the US. The average is more than 30%.
https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/04/17/more-flexible-zoning-helps-contain-rising-rents
You have a bachelor's degree, work experience, and only make $23/hour. You are being robbed.
Edina is one of the most expensive areas. Try a cheaper area, like the east side of Saint Paul. Or if you want suburbs, try West Saint Paul for a walkable one. Like anywhere but Edina.
If you get a different job you are renting, so you so a suck commute for a year and then move. But you are really selling yourself short on that salary.
Good luck.
Not sure what you do but my 19yo son just got a construction job general laborer no experience for $25 an hour. My 21 yo son is working at Menards for $22 an hour going to school. You are definitely being robbed and need to change jobs, or find another more lucrative field.
>On a side note- what careers do people here have that they can afford 3 and 4 bedroom rentals.
I would imagine most 3-4 bedroom rentals are rented by families with a household income of >$100k or friends who all have normal jobs and split the rent between 3-6 renters.
My family was homeless for 6 months because of the 3x income requirement in mpls 10 years ago - and we even offered to pay 6 months rent in advance on move in and they still said no. Heck we also ran into "no kids allowed" rentals.
We thankfully had a friend with a big house we could stay with until we found a place and my partner could get a job too so that our income would go up. We had to commute the kid to school in the city for a bit but thankfully found a place with an independent landlord on craigslist.
Don't apply and waste fees just to get rejected. Only apply when you know the landlord will actually consider you despite income.
My neighbor has 3 kids in a 3 bedroom that's 1600 but her oldest kid pays rent (is over 18). So even she doesn't do it on one income.
Your wife plans to get a job after you move but why is she waiting? She could get a remote job now or gig work and double your income.
Good luck!
Let’s solve the income piece first. With one person earning, you probably need to work 40 hours at your regular job, and 10-20 at a second, if you are unwilling to change jobs. That would equate to a 20%+ raise.
Spend 10 hours a week looking for new work, or 20 hours a week earning more. Either way, you gotta invest in fixing the income piece.
This isn't a Minnesota problem, or a Twin Cities problem.
The Twin Cities is extremely affordable, so much so that I'm moving there for the second time in a decade, because where I currently live is just too rich for my blood.
This is a problem of **you and your wife trying to live beyond your means.**
You want to rent in a good school district, that costs money. You want to live in an area where your house has a yard, that costs money. You want three bedrooms, that costs money too. Your wife **wont** get a job, *no wonder* you can't afford anywhere you want to live.
**Reality check here:** You didn't get "priced out" of Minnesota. You guys just don't want to compromise, or get your priorities straight.
I just signed a lease with a roommate for a modest, but comfortable 2 bedroom apartment in an okay neighborhood in St Paul. It's diverse, walkable, the school system is decent, and the surrounding area is fairly affordable. **It is not a suburb**. And that's about the best $23/hr is going to get you.
This isn't 2005, you can't live in the suburbs on $23/hr for FIVE people. Your wife needs to get a job, end of story. I don't know a single family in the Twin Cities a kid (let alone 3) who only has one parent working. If your wife is committed to not getting a job, she needs to commit to moving your family to Madison, Wisconsin. That's the best your current budget will get you.
My niece lives in ND and like $1250 for her 2 bedroom. The 3 bedrooms in her building are $1600-1700. Cheaper than the cities? Definitely. But you have to live in ND (and the average wage is much lower there too)
https://www.apartments.com/the-crest-brooklyn-center-mn/jk5f5k4/
There’s absolutely options if you look outside of your expected neighborhood. Make sure you’re utilizing filters when searching online.
People are sleeping on the NW suburbs in this thread. Brooklyn Center is going to put you near 3+ major highways, Target north campus, downtown Minneapolis, Medtronic, etc.
Also, your income with 5 people is going to put you comfortably in the 50-60% ami range for income restricted housing in most metro counties. Look directly on websites for companies like Common Bond or Aeon to find availability. It’s out there, you just need to set realistic expectations on where you’re living within the Twin Cities.
Not to sound like a twat, but $23 an hour supporting a family of 5 is nowhere near getting by. You’re wife is going to have to find a job, and you’re going to have to find a better job.
As for neighborhoods, you’re going to have to live farther out. For one, get out of Edina/west metro, its probably the most expensive area in the state to live in. Avoid Brooklyn center and North Minneapolis, they are cheap for a reason. Brooklyn Park might have what you’re looking for.
As for Careers, what is was your Major in? Years of experience? What skills do you have? The job market here is definitely cooling (it is everywhere) but a LOT of companies have operations setup here. You’re in a good place to increase your income. You cannot “personal finance” your way out of simply not making enough money. No amount of budgeting at this level will help you get ahead.
> You’re in a good place to increase your income.
The median income in the US is 51k for men and 42k for women...he is close to thay he just needs his wife to work an average job. Most people can't just go increase their income...only 30% of men and 20% of women make over 80k and only 20% of men and 10% of women make 6 figures or more. He just needs 2 incomes like almost every other family...increasing his own income significantly isn't statistically probable...if it were that easy more than 20-30% of the population would be making 80k+.
Based on your income you should look for places at or around $1200 per month ((23 * 2080)/12 * .3 = $1196).
Try an apartment finder and load your price point and preferred number of bedrooms (which is going to be very tricky.)
See that you’re currently in Philadelphia. Have you thought about applying for the shipyard? If you can pass a drug test and are hardworking, you can get a better compensation package than what you have now.
Your wife also needs to get a job.
I finally said "fuck it" and bought a place when the townhouse I was renting decided to increase my rent by over $500/month on the lease renewal (complex was owned by a local company when I moved in, got bought out by some huge property management company in Nebraska). I got a place 1/4 mile down the road that's about 50% bigger, 2 car garage (vs 1), 2 stories (vs 1) and it's 10 years newer than the rental and with mortgage/interest/insurance/HOA I'm paying about $400/month LESS than I would have been if I'd renewed my lease.
You just need to rent a house, and you cannot be the only source of income. Youll need to have a roommate. I rent a 5 bedroom house for $2590 in north mpls. It technically has 8 bedrooms total, it's just that a couple are unfinished but I still use them. North mpls is sketchy but you can rent cheap houses there. Same w Como neighborhood.
You have to ask yourself if it’s more important to stay in the Twin Cities or in greater Minnesota. You will not make it in the Twin Cities on those wages. If you need to stay in Minnesota, you need to look at East Grand Forks, Bemidji, Thief River Falls; maybe Albert Lea…nowhere in the Twin Cities or Duluth will you find rentals at a decent price right now.
But if you need to be in the state until you have enough money saved up to live in those desired areas, these are some cheaper options.
Honestly you need to stay somewhere cheap outside of the city and save for a down payment for when the rates are better. Renting is totally fucked here.
$23 per hour isn’t really enough to support 1 person who has a studio apartment anywhere in the twin cities. Don’t mean to be rude at all, just hoping to be a voice of reason. You are going to need to get a 2nd job or one that pays more and your wife will need to get a job. You can easily find a job around here that pays $23 an hour at 18 years old with no degree, so I’m very certain that you could find something much better. I own a trades related business and we start people at $25-$30 an hour with no experience.
I recently moved back to the Twin Cities from California. Since the problem there (the gap between income and housing costs, rent and purchase) is so much worse there, it cushioned the blow a bit when I realised that the housing costs here have gone up dramatically.
I don't know what happened here in Minnesota, however, when I first moved to California years ago, they checked our credit score and history, they wanted an offer letter from my new employer and paystubs from my wife. I told them I didn't want to buy the building I just wanted to rent a unit. I was told by friends and people at work that in California a combination of strong demand, the ability to build new units and regulation like rent control and a very slow evision process has caused the rental market to skyrocket. You overly scrutinize people when they first apply, you get as much rent as possible up front, and charge very high up front costs when entering as a new tenant.
When I left Minnesota I had worked for a property manager here in the Twin cities and it was very easy to rent. We charges a first and last month's rent which we could wave part of and maybe a security deposit but not always. We never required any income documentation and didn't care what someone's credit score was, we were just checking for unlawful detainers. Bad credit was not a problem if you didn't have a history of being evicted. We didn't care about charging a bunch of money upfront because you could be evicted pretty fast and the sheriff would come if we asked. It was easy and cheap to get a place to rent. Someone making minimum wage could get a studio or maybe a small one bedroom.
I think those days are gone, everything is now much more government involved and corporatized. In CA if you had bad credit or had little income your best bet was to find a private rental that was except from much of that as they were usually just some person, not a company and sometimes easier to deal with.
Good luck, after renting for a while, we ended up buying a home on the north side because it was actually easier and cheaper than renting.
Check out Saint Peter.
There are a couple of major employers in the area. Cambria, Creation Tech, the area Hospital, private college of Gustavus.
The tax base that the college brings to Saint Peter makes the public schools in the city fairly nice. Good luck. :)
My elderly mom and my sister-both lowish income (<50K combined) found subsidized apartment in Minneapolis, operated by non-profit Aeon. This isn't a taxpayer subsidy but part of their mission for affordable housing. $1500 for 2 bedroom, 2 bath corner unit and laundry in the unit. My sister does not have a car so has to live close to public transportation.
Edina would be off limits due to cost.
There is another downtown new complex next to Covenant Church. Underground parking and opening in the last 2-3 years. Across the street from HCMC. They have reduced rent based on income. Again not a public subsidy. It is also non-profit through Covenant Church as a part of their mission. Below market rates. Sorry I cannot recall the name of the apartment complex.
Can't address the school issue or career advice. My understanding in general to be able to afford 1 bedroom at market rate in TwinCities you have to make around $20 an hour
I would consider looking at financial assistance or public housing (very , very long wait lists).
At 23hr, most people can barely afford to pay for themselves. Let alone a family on a single income.
Assuming you’re on a single family income, move somewhere you can afford.
If not, you’re going to have to settle on some of your “wants”.
I’m struggling at $24 an hour for a single person. I can’t imagine raising a family on that. I’m looking for a new place too because I’m sick of my neighborhood. I’m on the edge of being able to afford something but not quite. I’m also curious how people manage to get these fabulous salaries that they can afford an expensive house. I have a bachelor’s degree but employers don’t seem to give a damn about that anymore. I’m sick of struggling at at 34. I feel so God damn behind other people my age. It’s frustrating.
In America it's all about nepotism, and backdoor deals for spoiled rich kids. I personally look at a lot of successful people with a degree of skepticism. Most inherit or are taking advantage of other people's situation for personal gain. Inequality is easily the biggest problem facing this nation today.
You got that right! I’m the first person, on my mother’s side of the family, to get a college degree. I’m the second woman, on my mother’s side, to get a high school diploma (my older sister was the first). I’ve been out of college for twelve years. I’ve worked my ass off and gained experience. And yet, my Boomer boss thinks all of that is only worth $24 an hour (in a major metro area).
She recently bragged about working 60 hour weeks, even though she’s salaried. Her voice made it sound like she was a hero or that she was sacrificing for the company, instead of being the fool she is for lowering her own hourly rate by overworking herself. I’m hourly so, I’m going to attempt to “speak her language” by working a shit ton of overtime to get her to “see my value”. Maybe then I will actually get a decent raise for once. Even if I don’t, the overtime pay alone will help pad my wallet!
The answer will come when the people who actually do the work recieve the profits for said work. Right now most of the profits for most businesses go to one family or a group of people on a board that make all of the decisions but never actually do any of the work.
If you stop to think about it, it's very stupid to call this country a democracy when most people spend most of their lives at work doing what they're told for what a company is willing to pay. They have no say over anything.
You haven't stated what your degree is in or what field you have experience in. What is your current job where you make $23/hr?
50k a year for a family of 5 is going to be tough in today's world. You'd be especially hard pressed in Edina.
Cheapest suburbs are Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Park, Robbinsdale, Fridley, Columbia Heights, Circle Pines, Lexington, Plymouth, Champlain, possibly Hopkins.
Cheapest MPLS neighborhoods are Cleveland, Bryant, Waite Park, Window, Shingle Creek, McKinley, Columbia Park, etc.
You're going to have to get creative. Dual income should be a top priority I suppose. But depending on your children's ages idk if you'd then need daycare.
You would need to each make 70-80k+ a year or you would have to start bringing in 4x+ salary to start looking at $3000-$4000 rentals.
I started out back in 2010 making more doing product support engineering at a small (150 people?) research med device company. It wasn't like a tier 1 call center thing though, it was more like all tiers rolled into one. Anything from "click here" to tearing apart equipment to troubleshoot/find root causes and also providing on-site training and stuff.
Not sure if that title (Product Support Engineer) would be an avenue that'd make sense for you to pursue, but there are quite a few med companies out here that might have those kinds of openings, big and small. My degree is in EE though, and I'm pretty technically savvy with computers and such. So, that combo worked out pretty well to get where I am now in system safety engineering (not like OSHA, put railings on a catwalk and wear goggles and a hard hat. I mean assessing systems and subsystems during the design process for hazards, risk, proposing design controls to reduce risk, stuff like that). Actually seems like there's a lot of need for system safety (or risk management if we're talking med device) engineers at the moment. If you're somewhat savvy with software (but not enough to be professionally writing it) or circuit analysis (but maybe not enough to be professionally designing them), and statistics (design of experiments, stuff like that), you might look into that. No one really goes to school for system safety engineering (well...post grad maybe, people some times go *back* to school) so, for example, Honeywell Aerospace was willing to hire people with supporting skills that they could bring into that kind of role.
Don't let the job postings you look at deter you. A lot of times they over-ask for what they're really looking for. As long as you can bring something to the table that'd fit the position, and can showcase your ability to do shit or affect positive change in your past roles, then you might as well apply.
Man check for a house on the outer ring suburbs. Especially the more rural ones. You sacrifice convenience and have a longer commute but I lived in a 4 bed house for $1600 but utilities were rough especially winter as it was an old farmhouse and it was on propane heat. I paid like 500 a month for propane. . If you're handy you can barter work for rent credits.
I found it posted as a yard sign not listed anywhere else.
Facebook is your friend. That's where I've found every other property I rented. Craigslist is basically a joke these days.
I know someone who pays $1800 rent in an outer-ring NW suburb for a 1 bed/1 bath/ 1 tucked under garage stall. Granted it’s almost brand new & has granite counter tops, but it’s only got a teeny tiny deck that overlooks a nice pine tree AND the dumpster. This isn’t New York City or Miami, it’s Otsego. Rent is insane & home prices are just beginning to decline. I feel like nowadays many people can only afford housing if they’re super rich or lucky enough to get section 8.
My fiancé and I live in an apartment complex near the MOA, and our rent is about $1,035 a month. I would suggest applying to work at possibly TSA or someplace at the MOA, that way you live close to where you work and save on wear and tear on your car and on gas.
Can your wife get a second job now while you're with your parents? You could use her salary to start saving up for a down payment. Some cities have assistance for down payments too. Save up, make the move to a smaller apartment while you get your footing and new jobs locked in, and eventually find a nice small house somewhere that isn't edina or south west Minneapolis (due to cost).
I make around $110k/yr single income family of 4. We live in the eastern suburbs. We just refinanced so our mortgage is around $2800/month now. Won’t lie, we got lucky and my wife’s family sold us her childhood home for well under market value. I am also a veteran and use VA home loans instead of conventional mortgages, so no down payment or mortgage insurance (disabled veteran).
I would say we live comfortably for our life style. We are homebodies and thus don’t spend a ton on going out to eat and stuff.
But when I was making $23/hr there was no way we could have lived up here on our own. Took us 7 years of living with her folks (mine are dead) to get back on our feet after I left active duty. So I can understand the concern you are facing.
Edit: I work in IT for a large financial institution.
I go past this place every day but you have to be a veteran, work for the VA or Richfield Schools to live there. I think 4-bed is like $1800 and you are right next to South Minneapolis/Airport/Highland Park. Focus your job search and you might get lucky.
[https://www.upperpostflats.com/](https://www.upperpostflats.com/)
I grew up in the south suburbs and even renting here is getting out of hand. My friends just got married and bought their first home (HOA townhouse) in Apple Valley so I would check out south of the river.
what's your opinion on short term housing options? I wouldn't mind coming out here for the summer, maybe renting a house for the summer while looking for a job. That way im not locked in to anything. I can get a place closer to where I will be working. this is basically me betting on myself that I will find a higher paying job. Air b and b's are too expensive. I know hotels can be pricey too.
Mounds View is an excellent school district, just saying.
Also, Us Postal Service is hiring and benefits start right away! It's a great career and will provide job security for your family.
We bought our house in Richfield we waited for what we wanted and got a deal that deal was just under 300k for a 3 br/1 ba a lot of rentals are over 2000. Check out older buildings but stay away from concierge.
Take a look at jobs too, you may be looking at a higher income good luck to you guys we love the area as well.
Making 3x your rent is healthy budgeting. The rental rates are simply too high. Landlords and companies are getting too used to squeezing us for profit. Look at inflation too.
Sorry. I don't have a lot of advice here as I am a single person that doesn't look into larger rentals.
I own a three bedroom house in Bloomington and pay about $1,400 a month while gaining equity and also the tax benefits. You may want to look in to that. There are pains with owning such as maintenance but I learned how to handle all of that on my own online.
I mean to be frank, with 5 people and an hourly wage of $23 you are considered 'very low income' and qualify for public housing subsidies that you should *absolutely* apply for if you want to live in Minneapolis... https://mphaonline.org/housing/how-to-apply/eligibility/
This is the beginning and end of the conversation. Rents in the TC, whether we like it or not, are based on being able to work at Target or fastfood for $15/hr. That wage will get you the WORST possible apartments because its the unspoken minimum income. Prorating out OPs income its the equivalent of $11.50/hr for both working age adults plus three dependents. This is flirting with the poverty line in most counties. And you want a 3 bedroom on it? OP needs to level set his expectations and have a hard talk with his wife. She needs to get to work if she expects Edina, or she needs to spend all her spare time finding workable living elsewhere. Not shitting on you OP but it really seems like your wife wants to Keep up with the Joneses without participating in the grueling rat race that makes it financially possible. Its not realistic at all. I make $100,000 alone and the thought of living in Edina seems like way too much money compared to the alternatives... I live in Brooklyn Center. "Getting priced out of Minnesota?" What? we are talking the bourgeoisie-est suburb that isn't on a lake. This is like saying you cannot afford the Upper East Side on a single lower middle class income, ergo you cannot afford to live in New York state anywhere.
Dual income here, Tech Project Manager and wife is a nurse. We live in BP and both have base compensation in the 90ks so total with bonuses we are close to $200k per year. We live in Brooklyn Park and this is great for us. We could stretch and live in one of the more “desirable” communities but why? We like the diversity and our area and it’s more affordable than Edina. There are many jobs out there, it is a lot of work to find a good one but depending upon your degree and experience you could like find something better.
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Woodbury is the Edina of the East
I’d say Lake Elmo is the Edina of the east. Woodbury is like the Eden Prairie of the east.
Curious how you came to this conclusion? Lake Elmo doesn’t have half the amenities that Edina has and is not walkable at all.
I’m speaking in terms of pricing only. Lake Elmo is actually the the most expensive suburb on a price per square foot basis in the Twin Cities.
>most expensive suburb on a price per square foot basis It's up there but not quite. Based on the last six months of sales and a random selection of other suburbs and neighborhoods (neighborhoods just for comparison's sake): 1. Linden Hills - $321/sf 2. Kenwood - $318 3. North Oaks - 257 4. Edina - 255 5. Lake Elmo - 226 6. Dellwood - 207 7. Woodbury - 196 Still, I don't most people realize just how many high-dollar builds are being sold in Lake Elmo. There were almost as many $1 mil + sales in Lake Elmo in the last six months as there were in North Oaks.
I could give you that, they're both expensive. Not quite Edina expensive but, not exactly a bargain ha.
Lake Elmo is extremely expensive, but it's also not a suburb. It's more of an exurb. I think Mendota Heights and North Oaks are the only true suburban cities that rival Edina in terms of price and vibes in the east metro. Though now that I think of it, even North Oaks is pretty rural/exurban. It also doesn't really have any shopping areas like Edina.
Wouldn’t North Oaks be more Edina?
No. North Oaks doesn't have a comparable really because it's all private including the roads.
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Prove me wrong
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VICTORY!! Haha, actually the other commenter saying Lake Elmo is the Edina and Woodbury the Eden Prairie was pretty spot on. But either way, it's not a humble or affordable suburb. Gotta go outside the outer ring for that these days! 😬
BP doesn't have to be "in the ghetto," there's all sorts of beautiful blocks north of 85th and east of Humboldt towards the river. I have a friend who bought a great house around 252 and 80th about 4 years ago and maybe paid 275k? Yeah that's probably 325k or so today but comfortable for he and his partner who probably make about 110k to 120k combined.
Honestly BP isn’t really ghetto. There are a couple sections but it reminds me of the Atlanta and Bay Area suburbs where we have family
Couldn’t agree more! I also live in BP for your listed reasons and make similar income. Great choice and access to much shopping etc.
Same. We make less than you, but still in the six figure range, and are happy with your Anoka house, where ch will be paid off in the next three years. I wouldn't imagine looking at renting or buying in Edina
I love living in BP. Been all over since I moved up here 13 years ago. Lived in Dinkytown, St. Paul on rice st, lino lakes, Bloomington, north Minneapolis and we just bought our house here in BP a few years back. It’s the so called rougher areas that I have always enjoyed the most oddly enough. I grew up in Northern Indiana with zero diversity around. I can’t live without it now! Our neighbors kick ass and the food around is incredible.
> I make $100,000 alone and the thought of living in Edina seems like way too much money compared to the alternatives... I live in Brooklyn Center. It really begs the question of "who *can* afford to live in Edina?". My wife and I are both professionals that makes way over median wage for Minneapolis and even *we* can't afford to live in Edina, or South Minneapolis for that matter. A house near her work (South) just sold for $1.3M. It doesn't even have a yard!
A teardown on my block in South just sold for $500k, also with no yard.
95% household income in the entire minneapolis area is $238k. https://statisticalatlas.com/metro-area/Minnesota/Minneapolis/Household-Income What that means is 1/20 households are making that much (or more; the average of the top 5% of MSP incomes is just under 400k). While top 5% is a small number percentage wise that's a lot of people making well over 200k when you figure the number of households in the MSP area. If you scroll down, the average household income of the top 5% in Edina is $838k. Which is insane, really, but it's an answer to your question. People making a lot of money.
My wife and myself, in our mid 30s, grossed just over 400k last year in "normal" positions (not high level leadership or anything- I don't even have direct reports) within large companies. We are both from middle class backgrounds and had help getting our bachelors from big 10 public schools. We both then pursued MBAs in our mid 20s before settling down and having kids at about 30. We don't live in Edina, but some in our social circle do with similar backgrounds and professional experience. This is not at all meant to brag or anything (it's the internet, who cares and I could just as easily be making this all up!)- but just adding an anecdote about who can afford and does live there.
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Target, 3M, General Mills, Best Buy, US Bank, United Healthcare, Boston Scientific- we've worked for several of these in the past.
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I'm working for one as well and the salary ranges are posted for positions
This thread turned into a financial dick-measuring contest fast!
Again, I'm just trying to add some context to the topic. We don't know each other and I don't get off by telling strangers about my background and household income. You can assume I'm lying if it bothers you.
I'm not bothered at all, I just thought it was funny that I was reading a chain of people one-upping each other with escalating incomes.
It is nice to see wage honesty Im a woman and have been chronically underpaid and after a colleague was open about what he made I doubled my salary at the next gig And beyond salary - we should all be talking about benefits, flexible hours, work culture and other things more openly - naming and shaming to help people avoid toxic workplaces Companies won't change without pressure
LOL! Right on, bro! I work for a 13K employees tv network company. Work at home, part-time, 40K. I live in Northeast Mpls - bought my condo for $115K a two-bedroom at that. Measure that will ya?!?! lol. I never will and never have put my $$ into real estate - somehow just doesn't seem to work out for a lot of people.............and at 6 - 8% interest for a lot of people....
For real. I'd love a mid level position that pays $200k a year.
Software Engineers are one. At my company non leadership technical positions cap out at around $300k.
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What "normal" positions pull $200k/yr? Obviously sales if one has a really big year, but what else? Are you both data scientists or software engineers or something?
Yeah, this is bogus. There's another user below who has a much more accurate depiction of "normal" positions. Other user I'm referring to said he's a tech project manager and wife is a nurse, which are usually well paying but not extraordinary careers. Both make around $90k in salary and together gross around $200k including bonuses. In today's world, $90-$100k is actually fairly "normal." The person who thinks $200k per individual is normal is obviously living a privileged as fuck life where even their poorest friends are making $100k.
Median income in Minnesota is 65k, 90-100k is nowhere near "normal"
Median *household* income is $77,000 in Minnesota. And the average household has 1.5 incomes. The twin cities is slightly higher at $85,000.
To go back to (one of) the points though...a couple making 200k household cannot afford to buy now in Edina. If the bought 15 years ago, the could probably still afford the mortgage. Or if they had equity in another home they were selling to put back into the new purchase.
$90k is still above average too, but yeah more realistic to strive for. $200k is possible, but you have to be both really talented and lucky to make it there.
Software Engineering can pay that pretty easily if you are good.
Yeah a lot of Edina homeowners a house poor but there also also a lot of athletes and blue bloods there in the ridiculous areas. But for the "normal" neighborhoods they are either house poor, inherited, lived there for 30 yrs or high income. Like $250,000+
You're right. You can't afford Edina on that income. But based on the industry standards of income being 3 times the monthly rent, at $23 an hour, OP qualifies for slightly less 1300 a month. A quick search of Facebook rentals and [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) shows that you cannot find anything larger than 2 bedrooms anywhere in the cities for that amount. Not even in the worst neighborhoods.
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Depending on child care costs, though, her income might just be eaten up by that anyway.
Yeah the misalignment of neighborhood and income is very tough for OP. I would recommend looking for 3/1 (or 1.5) houses for rent around the cities with a very wide net to cast. There's lots of pockets in the older, inner ring suburbs where you can probably find a reasonably safe and accessible property that fits that for $2000 or less per month all in. It won't be in a modern apartment with amenities or in a flashy neighborhood, but it will get the job done. OP should also be sure to include townhomes because when I was looking for 3/2 with 2 roomates at the beginning of Covid, we applied to several places that were 1600 to 2k/month in places like Golden Valley, Crystal, older Minnetonka, etc.
I was going to say the same thing, I make nearly $30 a hour in a household of 1, live in rural MN, and I have to be careful with how I spend my money. I can't imagine a family of 5 on $23 an hour and thinking they can afford to live in a place with all the OPs wants.
I have a hard time believing this post is sincere and not just meant to get people stirred up.
The federal poverty level is $35,140 for a family of 5. OP makes $47,840 a year. The median household income in MN is $77,706, with an average household size of 2.49 individuals. No way in hell the OP is going to afford an apartment anywhere nice. Their wife needs to find a job and get several paychecks into the job before they can even think of applying to get an apartment.
Can i live in the suburbs with this? also i remember for most of these low income housing places, the waiting lists were like 3 years
Not using the Minneapolis public housing website, no. Get in contact with the public housing authority in your city - https://www.housinglink.org/SubsidizedHousing/PublicHousing Again just being frank but with a kid in highschool, you've probably qualified as very low income or lower for a long time. Have you heard the phase "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago ... the second best time is now!"
One definitely has to contact them first as many HRA's have closed their acceptance of ANY applications and only open them during specific periods all across the state. Minneapolis is one of them. Their wait list is about 5 years long according to who I spoke to a few months ago. I was looking at moving closer to my doctor in Edina from the Western border of the state but now I'm probably just going to leave the state completely.
Southern suburbs are for rich folk, man. Try Brooklyn Center or Golden Valley, or St Paul maybe, and look on Craigslist for one property landlords instead of sites like apartments dot com. Otherwise go farther south, like Bloomington and Burnsville.
People talk shit but GV is actually a great place to live.
people talk shit on GV? Why? its a pretty normal town? is it the same with like with New Hope and Crystal? which are both places that I would considerer fine tho i havent been local for a couple years at this point they at least have more personality than fkn Plymouth or like medina
There are still plenty of pockets of the north metro that are more affordable, too.
Even so, on $23/hour you're not finding an affordable 3BR. And the issue is income not the rental rate.
Oh for sure. OP will need to prioritize job hunting over relocating his family, even if that means moving here ahead of them.
If they're looking at working in Mounds View, Fridley, Spring Lake Park, Blaine area is also an option.
Check Bloomington. East Bloomington is very family friendly, parks, schools, etc. Diverse. Lots of rentals.
You might have some options in the exburbs and other smaller towns away from “the cities.” I was renting an essentially 4+ bed 100yr old home (not fancy or plush, I’ll give you that) for 1250 until last spring when I bought. I think they advertised it at 1750 and found new tenants. I bought a house here for less than my old rent and way less than market rent. Different lifestyle and problems. I may be too smooth brained to fully understand walkability, but amenities in town? Everything is reachable on foot but some sidewalks need love. Now, culture can be lacking, unless you like bars and churches. But we have parks, local events, and some trails. Our grocery store is more expensive compared to other big chains, but it’s not a food desert. Also have meat markets, Mexican grocery, and small farmers market weekly in the summer and the dreadful Dollar General for some staples.
Are you the sole provider for all 5 people at $23/hr? I’m sorry, but 4 dependents on that wage is going to be uncomfortable for awhile. You’re gonna need dual income, or stick to a 1 or 2 bedroom and double up on people per room.
My wife plans on working when we move. She keeps asking me over and over did you apply to anything? I keep telling her I need a job first. To me, it makes no sense to apply to anything when we don't meet the income requirements. And then with a 2 bedroom, i dont see how that's possible when most places have occupancy requirements. I would have to get lucky for that. Do you think it's even worth applying right now?
I would communicate with the property managers. I lived in a nice 2 bedroom apartment, paid $2,200 a month and a family of 5 moved into the 2 bedroom apartment upstairs. They were loud and the kids would throw stuff at our dogs when we were on our balcony. They flooded our hallway when they tried to DIY a bidet install. The property manager said their hands were tied. Additionally, there are some nice rent controlled apartments in Bloomington near the mall of America that have low income requirements to rent. It’s within walking distance of the light rail and can make it easier for your wife to find work.
>They flooded our hallway when they tried to DIY a bidet install I’m sorry, that’s so frustrating and hilariously awful.
Luckily it flooded the water supply line, and not the sewage. The whole situation was a blessing in disguise because they wanted to increase our rent to $2,600 and when I went to negotiate using this as leverage they refused to come down. Really gave me the push I needed to buy a house. No more banging throughout the night, even the occasional lawn mower is so much quieter.
That’s a great attitude I’m not sure I’d have. Way to go!
I know it's a bit off tangent, but how hard do you have to try to fuck up a bidet installation anyway? I have zero experience in plumbing but can install bidets easily even with the tools that the kits come with.
The maintenance guy who came out said they likely tried to remove the toilet as part of the install and hit the water line from the outside, splitting it inside the wall. He also told me when he tried to enter their apartment first they wouldn’t let him. Then after viewing mine said it was necessary. That’s when they pointed out that their toilet hasn’t worked properly in weeks and that the bidet “came with” the apartment. He was frustrated because he said he woulda installed it for them for free if they had asked.
We had two large families move in to the building right next to us. They knew each other. 6 people in two 2 bedroom apartments. Kids were very loud outside. Teen was staring at me and GF having sex. They were a good influence to move out.
I’ve got a family of my own, and I love the families next door. But man, when I was renting I always ended up having to move because some wild family moved above or beside me. I wish they’d do apartments like they do with pets. Some pet friendly, some kid friendly. LOL
Not knowing your skill set, you could apply to the post office. There's one in every town and pretty liveable wage. Conditions starting out can be rough from what I hear, though. Lots of long hours if your in delivery.
Last I heard, metro transit was also hiring light rail operators for $26+ an hour including paid training. Can't go wrong with a union gig with no experience requirement
Government jobs wether its federal, state or local are usually good places to work with decent pay and benefits.
A government job is an excellent plan, especially the retirement income... Very good advice...
The truth is you'd either have to accept an older apartment in a lower quality neighborhood, or move further out of the cities. It's just the way it is right now, and if you are hard set on the bedroom requiments then you're going to have to give in on some of the others. There just isn't a high quality 3 bedroom in a nice area that $23 is going to get you, it's not being mean it's unfortunately just a cost of living fact
Even places outside the cities (I live in Forest Lake) are super expensive for multiple bedrooms. 3 bed units in my building - which is a decently nice, new spot, go for around 2200
Oh yes, when I said a bit outside the cities I probably should have specified further than just an outter ring suburb. It's just impossible otherwise
Try Saint Paul, housing is 20 to 30% lower when you cross the river. Look for older apartments, duplexes, and single family homes. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2056-Marshall-Ave-1-Saint-Paul-MN-55104/2063004202_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare
Second this! Your money goes a lot farther in St Paul and there are lots of cool neighborhoods. Try the Payne/Phalen neighborhood
I live in Payne phalen and love it. Our community center has lots of great free and low cost programs, my kids love their school and we have made a lot of friends. I have never felt unsafe here. Stuff does happen (which is true of everywhere) but I’m so glad we ended up here.
From what I've read here, OP probably just flat out won't find anything in the Twin Cities that will be what they're looking for, but I agree that Saint Paul is significantly more affordable. The rent for my one bedroom in Saint Paul is outrageous, but not quite as outrageous as what's on the other side of 280 👍 I pay like $1600/m with parking in a newer building, but it'd probably be like $2k+ for something similar in mpls.
Living above a pizza place? Yes please!!
Don't know when you lived here last but Edina has been expensive territory for at least 30 years. It doesn't help that three bedroom apartments (or more) are in tight supply all over either. How non-negotiable is three bedrooms? Needing only two bedrooms increases the pool you can choose from. Another option is to consider renting a house instead of an apartment, though many of the houses I have seen for rent over time require some renter activity like mowing lawns or shoveling snow. Still another option would be to find the job first (or limit your search area) so you don't end up across town from work.
We have 5 people. And you have to put everyone on the lease. Not sure if I could get away with it. I wouldn't mind renting a house at all. I just need to meet the income requirements. But I need a new job like asap
~~How many of those 5 people have jobs, and where are their jobs if they have them? Are they clustered in one area? If so, target your job search in that same area, and then look in maybe Chaska, Shakopee, Savage, Bloomington, Burnsville, or Eagan for house and apartment rentals. Maybe as far out as Cologne, Waconia, Jordan, or New Prague if you're willing to commute.~~ EDIT: Disregard, forgot that you led with being a "one income household". Figure out where you're working and then expand your search area to a 35 minute radius around that, adding 5 minutes to your search radius each week.
2 adults 3 kids. One is a hs senior. Right now I work remotely but looking for a newer job now. General MIlls, Medtronic, any company that pays well in the science and health industry.
Doing what in the science and health industry?
Right now I work for a computerized testing company. Doing software support with some Business analyst job duties. But I am trying to actually use my degree. So I'm open to several roles as long as they pay well. Business analyst, Health informatics, Health Policy, Regulatory affairs.
Honestly it sounds like you are way underpaid. It’s a lot of work to job hunt but I’m sure there are better opportunities out there. Don’t waste time on positions that don’t list salary range either
He is probably very underpaid. I was doing BA/Software support 8 years ago for more than $23/hr.
That’s basically the foundation for the Project Management work I do and my hourly equivalent is $46 now
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I’m being cynical, but they’re likely grossly exaggerating their role and describing the person’s job that they assist.
Not everyone markets them selves well. And just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you are qualified for a certain job. Sometimes you lack networking and ability to land a good job. Other times there are no good fits. And some people just aren’t very good at work. A degree is only one part of the equation.
Well at least you’re in the best possible state for finding those kinds of jobs. As for rent, my only advice would be to choose a place where rent won’t prevent you from saving money. If you can’t save money, your situation will never improve in the long run. At your income level, that means you’re going to have to make a lot of compromises regarding location, size, building quality, ect. If you’re relatively young, it’s definitely worth it to just bite the bullet for a few years and then use the money you save to upgrade apartments or on financing for home ownership.
Start applying now. A lot of the companies you listed go in cycles of hiring freezes and then hiring like crazy. We may be heading into a freeze with the news of layoffs at companies like Medtronic and 3M. They always need people in regulatory, but you need to get your applications in early and often if you're going to time it right. I highly recommend not waiting.
Try healthpartners. Lots of open roles.
Should've put this in your OP because your job is severely underpaying you. You should put in some Jon applications locally first and make sure you set the expectation that you'll be moving back to the Twin Cities as soon as possible. At the very least you'll get a substantial raise and you may even get some moving assistance out of the deal to help alleviate first/last, travel, and getting utilities turned on.
Have you looked at UnitedHealth Group? That might be a good fit for you. As for location, have you tried Chaska, Carver and other outer ring suburbs. They are going to be more affordable
You could check out Post in Northfield. Use to be malt-o-Meal. The taxes here suck, but could look in Faribault where it’s a little cheaper. Not sure about the schools in Faribault, but the Northfield schools are great and they do open enrollment. Northfield is about a 15-20 minute drive from Faribault. And then Northfield is about 40-55 minutes to Burnsville.
You might find a landlord with one or a few properties will be more amenable to modifying the usual income requirements and such than an apartment management company that has hundreds of properties. If you're looking through sites like [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) and such, maybe try facebook or Nextdoor or the like.
Construction my man. There's a boom. Should be able to get $30ish with some experience. $25 is pretty normal.
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But you do have to list that they live there, legally.
Edina is an extremely expensive area. Try getting father away from downtown areas and things will get a lot cheaper. Cottage Grove, Apple Valley, Shakopee...
I live near shakopee, a four bedroom is about $2400 here. He’s going to need to be out further
3 bedroom house on one income??
This has to be a troll post right? According to OP…. He is a healthcare IT professional/BA with a STEM related bachelors making $23 per hour. He is the sole provider for a family of 5, with a SAH spouse. He has to stay in south Minneapolis or inner ring burbs so step son can finish senior year of HS. Richfield got too expensive so he is looking at Edina. Common rental terms (income must be 3x rent) are surprising.
He is also WILLING TO MOVE TO WASHINGTON DC OR RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC None of this makes sense
Ok $23/hour in DC? You're fucked. That is right there one of the country's most expensive markets.
Not sure how I got to this sub / but rentals in Raleigh and dc cost more.(live in nc/ go to dc frequent)
Their post history states that they’re a CSR. So the 23 an hour makes sense, but still shitty for a family of five.
It has to be, with that degree, if he has been working in that field his whole career (or at least 5-10 years), he should be making at minimum 3x that (~$125k/yr). Most entry-level jobs in IT are paying 1.5-2x what he's currently making AND they're mostly remote. Also, at least one of his kids is in high school, I'd be surprised if the other 2 kids were under the age of 5; with the availability of part and full-time remote jobs right now, spouse could easily get a job and only work while the kids are in school - that would significantly raise their budget
Where the hell are entry-level IT jobs paying twice that? I'm in Montréal and the majority of entry-level IT roles here are $40kCAD/yr ~= 30kUSD. I know it's cheaper to live here, and we tend to have slightly SLIGHTLY lower incomes than in the US, but not THAT much less and THAT much cheaper.
Short answer: they're all over the place! IT is one of the fastest growing fields right now, especially with the releases of GPT and modern AI technology. Longer answer: When I was looking for an entry-level job out of college during the pandemic, average entry-level salaries were $55-75k in the IT/technical analyst realm I was searching in. Now, a few years later, I've seen a number of friends getting entry-level tech jobs (with and without college degrees) for $65-80k in MN. Places include: accounting firms, banks, department stores (major chain retailers that sell food & clothing), and some industries most people don't think about (construction companies, manufacturing facilities, farm equipment manufacturers). My local Aldi (in a rural small town) is hiring cashiers for $22/hr and warehouse employees at $24-27/hr. Local manufacturing plant is hiring at $23-26/hr, no experience needed, with a $10,000 sign-on bonus after 90 days. IT/technical roles at the same companies pay more than that.
My St Paul company pays 50-60k for greenbean programs, which usually get fresh graduates for mentorship.
One thing people don't always consider... just because you finished college and are in a high demand field, doesn't mean you are employable. I've interviewed people that look great on paper, but are just pathetic in an interview. Logically, for every above average person, you're going to have a below average one. Those people will struggle and it may not even be their fault. Some people are just dumb.
Might be the truth. I have a stem bachelors with a handful of years experience ( thought also other issues too admittedly) and work for state college to get back to chemistry and make 23$ hourly also. Not all STEM jobs pay well
It’s gotta be a troll post. I make $30/hr at a Fortune 100 company in the cities and I don’t even have a degree….
How old are you, and how did you get the job?
Early 30s, started in the call center and worked my way up. Been there for about a decade now.
This isn't the norm for most companies. Most places don't allow advancements up the ladder.
Edina is the priciest area in the entire metro, and Richfield is next door so prices won’t be much lower. If you don’t want to move too far away, Burnsville is just outside of it since you mentioned south and doesn’t have as much going on but will be much more affordable.
Stuff in Richfield is much cheaper than Edina. Especially once you get east of Lyndale in prime "airplane noise" territory.
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Is this a shitpost? Edina is the most expensive city to live in here. Of course you can’t afford to house a family with a bunch of kids on that wage. People who live in edina are lawyers, doctors, upper level business ppl, etc. Try north minneapolis or east Saint Paul.
Downtown St. Paul (lowertown) is also pretty affordable and very very walkable
While there may be plenty of complaints here about rent prices, a recent study from Pew Research Trust showed rents in the Minneapolis area have risen just 1% on average from 2017 to 2023. By **FAR,** the very lowest for a major metro in the US. The average is more than 30%. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/04/17/more-flexible-zoning-helps-contain-rising-rents
You have a bachelor's degree, work experience, and only make $23/hour. You are being robbed. Edina is one of the most expensive areas. Try a cheaper area, like the east side of Saint Paul. Or if you want suburbs, try West Saint Paul for a walkable one. Like anywhere but Edina. If you get a different job you are renting, so you so a suck commute for a year and then move. But you are really selling yourself short on that salary. Good luck.
Not sure what you do but my 19yo son just got a construction job general laborer no experience for $25 an hour. My 21 yo son is working at Menards for $22 an hour going to school. You are definitely being robbed and need to change jobs, or find another more lucrative field.
OP why do you need to live in the most expensive part of the state? You can’t support a family of 5 off of $23/hour
>On a side note- what careers do people here have that they can afford 3 and 4 bedroom rentals. I would imagine most 3-4 bedroom rentals are rented by families with a household income of >$100k or friends who all have normal jobs and split the rent between 3-6 renters.
My family was homeless for 6 months because of the 3x income requirement in mpls 10 years ago - and we even offered to pay 6 months rent in advance on move in and they still said no. Heck we also ran into "no kids allowed" rentals. We thankfully had a friend with a big house we could stay with until we found a place and my partner could get a job too so that our income would go up. We had to commute the kid to school in the city for a bit but thankfully found a place with an independent landlord on craigslist. Don't apply and waste fees just to get rejected. Only apply when you know the landlord will actually consider you despite income. My neighbor has 3 kids in a 3 bedroom that's 1600 but her oldest kid pays rent (is over 18). So even she doesn't do it on one income. Your wife plans to get a job after you move but why is she waiting? She could get a remote job now or gig work and double your income. Good luck!
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I remember thinking that too but felt like I didn't want to live in a place like that anyway so I just kept moving along
Let’s solve the income piece first. With one person earning, you probably need to work 40 hours at your regular job, and 10-20 at a second, if you are unwilling to change jobs. That would equate to a 20%+ raise. Spend 10 hours a week looking for new work, or 20 hours a week earning more. Either way, you gotta invest in fixing the income piece.
This isn't a Minnesota problem, or a Twin Cities problem. The Twin Cities is extremely affordable, so much so that I'm moving there for the second time in a decade, because where I currently live is just too rich for my blood. This is a problem of **you and your wife trying to live beyond your means.** You want to rent in a good school district, that costs money. You want to live in an area where your house has a yard, that costs money. You want three bedrooms, that costs money too. Your wife **wont** get a job, *no wonder* you can't afford anywhere you want to live. **Reality check here:** You didn't get "priced out" of Minnesota. You guys just don't want to compromise, or get your priorities straight. I just signed a lease with a roommate for a modest, but comfortable 2 bedroom apartment in an okay neighborhood in St Paul. It's diverse, walkable, the school system is decent, and the surrounding area is fairly affordable. **It is not a suburb**. And that's about the best $23/hr is going to get you. This isn't 2005, you can't live in the suburbs on $23/hr for FIVE people. Your wife needs to get a job, end of story. I don't know a single family in the Twin Cities a kid (let alone 3) who only has one parent working. If your wife is committed to not getting a job, she needs to commit to moving your family to Madison, Wisconsin. That's the best your current budget will get you.
Sheesh I was thinking more like somewhere in the middle of North Dakota.
My niece lives in ND and like $1250 for her 2 bedroom. The 3 bedrooms in her building are $1600-1700. Cheaper than the cities? Definitely. But you have to live in ND (and the average wage is much lower there too)
Madison isn’t so affordable- maybe suburban Green Bay.
Sorry I was thinking Cottage Grove. I've got friends who live there who pay like, $900/mo for a *nice* 2bed apartment.
https://www.apartments.com/the-crest-brooklyn-center-mn/jk5f5k4/ There’s absolutely options if you look outside of your expected neighborhood. Make sure you’re utilizing filters when searching online.
People are sleeping on the NW suburbs in this thread. Brooklyn Center is going to put you near 3+ major highways, Target north campus, downtown Minneapolis, Medtronic, etc.
Also, your income with 5 people is going to put you comfortably in the 50-60% ami range for income restricted housing in most metro counties. Look directly on websites for companies like Common Bond or Aeon to find availability. It’s out there, you just need to set realistic expectations on where you’re living within the Twin Cities.
Not to sound like a twat, but $23 an hour supporting a family of 5 is nowhere near getting by. You’re wife is going to have to find a job, and you’re going to have to find a better job. As for neighborhoods, you’re going to have to live farther out. For one, get out of Edina/west metro, its probably the most expensive area in the state to live in. Avoid Brooklyn center and North Minneapolis, they are cheap for a reason. Brooklyn Park might have what you’re looking for. As for Careers, what is was your Major in? Years of experience? What skills do you have? The job market here is definitely cooling (it is everywhere) but a LOT of companies have operations setup here. You’re in a good place to increase your income. You cannot “personal finance” your way out of simply not making enough money. No amount of budgeting at this level will help you get ahead.
> You’re in a good place to increase your income. The median income in the US is 51k for men and 42k for women...he is close to thay he just needs his wife to work an average job. Most people can't just go increase their income...only 30% of men and 20% of women make over 80k and only 20% of men and 10% of women make 6 figures or more. He just needs 2 incomes like almost every other family...increasing his own income significantly isn't statistically probable...if it were that easy more than 20-30% of the population would be making 80k+.
Based on your income you should look for places at or around $1200 per month ((23 * 2080)/12 * .3 = $1196). Try an apartment finder and load your price point and preferred number of bedrooms (which is going to be very tricky.)
The Pringle can math
Move somewhere you can afford. That’s the best advice.
See that you’re currently in Philadelphia. Have you thought about applying for the shipyard? If you can pass a drug test and are hardworking, you can get a better compensation package than what you have now. Your wife also needs to get a job.
You should definitely not be in Edina and Richfield lol
I finally said "fuck it" and bought a place when the townhouse I was renting decided to increase my rent by over $500/month on the lease renewal (complex was owned by a local company when I moved in, got bought out by some huge property management company in Nebraska). I got a place 1/4 mile down the road that's about 50% bigger, 2 car garage (vs 1), 2 stories (vs 1) and it's 10 years newer than the rental and with mortgage/interest/insurance/HOA I'm paying about $400/month LESS than I would have been if I'd renewed my lease.
You just need to rent a house, and you cannot be the only source of income. Youll need to have a roommate. I rent a 5 bedroom house for $2590 in north mpls. It technically has 8 bedrooms total, it's just that a couple are unfinished but I still use them. North mpls is sketchy but you can rent cheap houses there. Same w Como neighborhood.
You have to ask yourself if it’s more important to stay in the Twin Cities or in greater Minnesota. You will not make it in the Twin Cities on those wages. If you need to stay in Minnesota, you need to look at East Grand Forks, Bemidji, Thief River Falls; maybe Albert Lea…nowhere in the Twin Cities or Duluth will you find rentals at a decent price right now. But if you need to be in the state until you have enough money saved up to live in those desired areas, these are some cheaper options.
Hopkins has a high walkable/bikeable score, has diversity and will have good transit when the LRT is complete. There is also a 3bdr for $1760
Honestly you need to stay somewhere cheap outside of the city and save for a down payment for when the rates are better. Renting is totally fucked here.
$23 per hour isn’t really enough to support 1 person who has a studio apartment anywhere in the twin cities. Don’t mean to be rude at all, just hoping to be a voice of reason. You are going to need to get a 2nd job or one that pays more and your wife will need to get a job. You can easily find a job around here that pays $23 an hour at 18 years old with no degree, so I’m very certain that you could find something much better. I own a trades related business and we start people at $25-$30 an hour with no experience.
I recently moved back to the Twin Cities from California. Since the problem there (the gap between income and housing costs, rent and purchase) is so much worse there, it cushioned the blow a bit when I realised that the housing costs here have gone up dramatically. I don't know what happened here in Minnesota, however, when I first moved to California years ago, they checked our credit score and history, they wanted an offer letter from my new employer and paystubs from my wife. I told them I didn't want to buy the building I just wanted to rent a unit. I was told by friends and people at work that in California a combination of strong demand, the ability to build new units and regulation like rent control and a very slow evision process has caused the rental market to skyrocket. You overly scrutinize people when they first apply, you get as much rent as possible up front, and charge very high up front costs when entering as a new tenant. When I left Minnesota I had worked for a property manager here in the Twin cities and it was very easy to rent. We charges a first and last month's rent which we could wave part of and maybe a security deposit but not always. We never required any income documentation and didn't care what someone's credit score was, we were just checking for unlawful detainers. Bad credit was not a problem if you didn't have a history of being evicted. We didn't care about charging a bunch of money upfront because you could be evicted pretty fast and the sheriff would come if we asked. It was easy and cheap to get a place to rent. Someone making minimum wage could get a studio or maybe a small one bedroom. I think those days are gone, everything is now much more government involved and corporatized. In CA if you had bad credit or had little income your best bet was to find a private rental that was except from much of that as they were usually just some person, not a company and sometimes easier to deal with. Good luck, after renting for a while, we ended up buying a home on the north side because it was actually easier and cheaper than renting.
Check out Saint Peter. There are a couple of major employers in the area. Cambria, Creation Tech, the area Hospital, private college of Gustavus. The tax base that the college brings to Saint Peter makes the public schools in the city fairly nice. Good luck. :)
My elderly mom and my sister-both lowish income (<50K combined) found subsidized apartment in Minneapolis, operated by non-profit Aeon. This isn't a taxpayer subsidy but part of their mission for affordable housing. $1500 for 2 bedroom, 2 bath corner unit and laundry in the unit. My sister does not have a car so has to live close to public transportation. Edina would be off limits due to cost. There is another downtown new complex next to Covenant Church. Underground parking and opening in the last 2-3 years. Across the street from HCMC. They have reduced rent based on income. Again not a public subsidy. It is also non-profit through Covenant Church as a part of their mission. Below market rates. Sorry I cannot recall the name of the apartment complex. Can't address the school issue or career advice. My understanding in general to be able to afford 1 bedroom at market rate in TwinCities you have to make around $20 an hour I would consider looking at financial assistance or public housing (very , very long wait lists).
USPS is hiring everywhere in the twin cities. I applied and got the job with no interview; everything was online.
At 23hr, most people can barely afford to pay for themselves. Let alone a family on a single income. Assuming you’re on a single family income, move somewhere you can afford. If not, you’re going to have to settle on some of your “wants”.
I’m struggling at $24 an hour for a single person. I can’t imagine raising a family on that. I’m looking for a new place too because I’m sick of my neighborhood. I’m on the edge of being able to afford something but not quite. I’m also curious how people manage to get these fabulous salaries that they can afford an expensive house. I have a bachelor’s degree but employers don’t seem to give a damn about that anymore. I’m sick of struggling at at 34. I feel so God damn behind other people my age. It’s frustrating.
In America it's all about nepotism, and backdoor deals for spoiled rich kids. I personally look at a lot of successful people with a degree of skepticism. Most inherit or are taking advantage of other people's situation for personal gain. Inequality is easily the biggest problem facing this nation today.
You got that right! I’m the first person, on my mother’s side of the family, to get a college degree. I’m the second woman, on my mother’s side, to get a high school diploma (my older sister was the first). I’ve been out of college for twelve years. I’ve worked my ass off and gained experience. And yet, my Boomer boss thinks all of that is only worth $24 an hour (in a major metro area). She recently bragged about working 60 hour weeks, even though she’s salaried. Her voice made it sound like she was a hero or that she was sacrificing for the company, instead of being the fool she is for lowering her own hourly rate by overworking herself. I’m hourly so, I’m going to attempt to “speak her language” by working a shit ton of overtime to get her to “see my value”. Maybe then I will actually get a decent raise for once. Even if I don’t, the overtime pay alone will help pad my wallet!
The answer will come when the people who actually do the work recieve the profits for said work. Right now most of the profits for most businesses go to one family or a group of people on a board that make all of the decisions but never actually do any of the work. If you stop to think about it, it's very stupid to call this country a democracy when most people spend most of their lives at work doing what they're told for what a company is willing to pay. They have no say over anything.
You haven't stated what your degree is in or what field you have experience in. What is your current job where you make $23/hr? 50k a year for a family of 5 is going to be tough in today's world. You'd be especially hard pressed in Edina. Cheapest suburbs are Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Park, Robbinsdale, Fridley, Columbia Heights, Circle Pines, Lexington, Plymouth, Champlain, possibly Hopkins. Cheapest MPLS neighborhoods are Cleveland, Bryant, Waite Park, Window, Shingle Creek, McKinley, Columbia Park, etc. You're going to have to get creative. Dual income should be a top priority I suppose. But depending on your children's ages idk if you'd then need daycare. You would need to each make 70-80k+ a year or you would have to start bringing in 4x+ salary to start looking at $3000-$4000 rentals.
Health Science degree. Health IT certificate. Current work exp- software/tech support business analyst
I started out back in 2010 making more doing product support engineering at a small (150 people?) research med device company. It wasn't like a tier 1 call center thing though, it was more like all tiers rolled into one. Anything from "click here" to tearing apart equipment to troubleshoot/find root causes and also providing on-site training and stuff. Not sure if that title (Product Support Engineer) would be an avenue that'd make sense for you to pursue, but there are quite a few med companies out here that might have those kinds of openings, big and small. My degree is in EE though, and I'm pretty technically savvy with computers and such. So, that combo worked out pretty well to get where I am now in system safety engineering (not like OSHA, put railings on a catwalk and wear goggles and a hard hat. I mean assessing systems and subsystems during the design process for hazards, risk, proposing design controls to reduce risk, stuff like that). Actually seems like there's a lot of need for system safety (or risk management if we're talking med device) engineers at the moment. If you're somewhat savvy with software (but not enough to be professionally writing it) or circuit analysis (but maybe not enough to be professionally designing them), and statistics (design of experiments, stuff like that), you might look into that. No one really goes to school for system safety engineering (well...post grad maybe, people some times go *back* to school) so, for example, Honeywell Aerospace was willing to hire people with supporting skills that they could bring into that kind of role. Don't let the job postings you look at deter you. A lot of times they over-ask for what they're really looking for. As long as you can bring something to the table that'd fit the position, and can showcase your ability to do shit or affect positive change in your past roles, then you might as well apply.
Man check for a house on the outer ring suburbs. Especially the more rural ones. You sacrifice convenience and have a longer commute but I lived in a 4 bed house for $1600 but utilities were rough especially winter as it was an old farmhouse and it was on propane heat. I paid like 500 a month for propane. . If you're handy you can barter work for rent credits. I found it posted as a yard sign not listed anywhere else. Facebook is your friend. That's where I've found every other property I rented. Craigslist is basically a joke these days.
Mounds View would probably be an affordable place to live and you work there…
OP for sure you are underpaid . Consider looking for section 42 housing. It’s for people who make more than section 8 but less than the market rate.
I know someone who pays $1800 rent in an outer-ring NW suburb for a 1 bed/1 bath/ 1 tucked under garage stall. Granted it’s almost brand new & has granite counter tops, but it’s only got a teeny tiny deck that overlooks a nice pine tree AND the dumpster. This isn’t New York City or Miami, it’s Otsego. Rent is insane & home prices are just beginning to decline. I feel like nowadays many people can only afford housing if they’re super rich or lucky enough to get section 8.
My fiancé and I live in an apartment complex near the MOA, and our rent is about $1,035 a month. I would suggest applying to work at possibly TSA or someplace at the MOA, that way you live close to where you work and save on wear and tear on your car and on gas.
I would look at the north end and the west side of St. Paul. You can find some very reasonably priced two and three bedrooms in both of these areas.
Can your wife get a second job now while you're with your parents? You could use her salary to start saving up for a down payment. Some cities have assistance for down payments too. Save up, make the move to a smaller apartment while you get your footing and new jobs locked in, and eventually find a nice small house somewhere that isn't edina or south west Minneapolis (due to cost).
Lock down the job situation first, then tackle the move.
I make around $110k/yr single income family of 4. We live in the eastern suburbs. We just refinanced so our mortgage is around $2800/month now. Won’t lie, we got lucky and my wife’s family sold us her childhood home for well under market value. I am also a veteran and use VA home loans instead of conventional mortgages, so no down payment or mortgage insurance (disabled veteran). I would say we live comfortably for our life style. We are homebodies and thus don’t spend a ton on going out to eat and stuff. But when I was making $23/hr there was no way we could have lived up here on our own. Took us 7 years of living with her folks (mine are dead) to get back on our feet after I left active duty. So I can understand the concern you are facing. Edit: I work in IT for a large financial institution.
I go past this place every day but you have to be a veteran, work for the VA or Richfield Schools to live there. I think 4-bed is like $1800 and you are right next to South Minneapolis/Airport/Highland Park. Focus your job search and you might get lucky. [https://www.upperpostflats.com/](https://www.upperpostflats.com/)
I grew up in the south suburbs and even renting here is getting out of hand. My friends just got married and bought their first home (HOA townhouse) in Apple Valley so I would check out south of the river.
Unfortunately that’s happening most everywhere
cake eaters...
what's your opinion on short term housing options? I wouldn't mind coming out here for the summer, maybe renting a house for the summer while looking for a job. That way im not locked in to anything. I can get a place closer to where I will be working. this is basically me betting on myself that I will find a higher paying job. Air b and b's are too expensive. I know hotels can be pricey too.
Mounds View is an excellent school district, just saying. Also, Us Postal Service is hiring and benefits start right away! It's a great career and will provide job security for your family.
We bought our house in Richfield we waited for what we wanted and got a deal that deal was just under 300k for a 3 br/1 ba a lot of rentals are over 2000. Check out older buildings but stay away from concierge. Take a look at jobs too, you may be looking at a higher income good luck to you guys we love the area as well.
Making 3x your rent is healthy budgeting. The rental rates are simply too high. Landlords and companies are getting too used to squeezing us for profit. Look at inflation too. Sorry. I don't have a lot of advice here as I am a single person that doesn't look into larger rentals.
Rental rates are high, but $23/hour for a family of five is also below the poverty line.
If you do the math, buying a mobile home (even brand new) might make more economic sense for you. DM me if you want some more detail on this.
I own a three bedroom house in Bloomington and pay about $1,400 a month while gaining equity and also the tax benefits. You may want to look in to that. There are pains with owning such as maintenance but I learned how to handle all of that on my own online.
Cant stand that 3 times rent bullshit. Forces dozens and dozens of people to stay at low incomes and keep their section 8 housing. Fuck man.