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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $40K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Missouri using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Springfield com…
#1 Ranked: Springfield — cost index 90, rent $1,209/mo, income $45,984
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | $1,209 | 36% | 90 | Details |
| 2 | Independence | $1,313 | 39% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | St Louis | $1,326 | 40% | 89 | Details |
| 4 | Kansas | $1,418 | 43% | 94 | Details |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $40K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Missouri using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Springfield comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis. I'll say what the data can't: this city punches above its weight in ways that don't show up in a spreadsheet. There's a reason people who move here tend to stay. You can call it quality of life, you can call it vibes, whatever — the point is, the cost structure gives people room to actually enjoy where they live, and that's increasingly rare in this country.
On a $40K salary, the key number is $1,000/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Springfield ($1,209/mo, 36%), Independence ($1,313/mo, 39%), St Louis ($1,326/mo, 40%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $30,452 to $30,452/year across these top picks.
Springfield comes in at #1. Rent is $1,209 a month. Household income is $45,984. The cost of living index is 90. Fairly typical for a city this size.
If you only look at rent, it's perfect. Fairly typical for a city this size. Zoom out and it's complicated. In Springfield, the healthcare index sits at 93 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $40K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. That alone makes it worth considering.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
112,544 residents · Missouri
What does daily life actually cost in Springfield? Start with the 32% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 76) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 93) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $45,984 — we had to double-check this one — and homes at $238,992 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
120,922 residents · Missouri
A closer look at Independence: the cost index of 90 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — breaks down to a Housing index of 76 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 93 (weakest). Median rent is $1,313/month — 31% below the national median — while household income sits at $59,480, meaning locals spend about 26% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
281,754 residents · Missouri
What does daily life actually cost in St Louis? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 74) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,279 and homes at $179,917 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons.
152,933 residents · Missouri
A closer look at Kansas: the cost index of 94 breaks down to a Housing index of 85 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). Median rent is $1,418/month — 25% below the national median — while household income sits at $67,449, meaning locals spend about 25% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Springfield | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $30,452 |
2Independence | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $30,452 |
3St Louis | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $30,452 |
4Kansas | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $30,452 |
We calculate what percentage of a $40K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Springfield ranks #1 in Missouri for this analysis with a cost index of 90 and median income of $45,984.
Yes. On a $40K salary in Springfield, rent would consume about 36% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Springfield (ranked #1) has a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,209/mo, while Kansas (ranked #4) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 4-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Springfield is $1,209/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $686 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 4.8% state income tax, estimated take-home on $40K in Springfield is approximately $30,452/year ($2,538/month). After median rent of $1,209/month, you'd have roughly $15,944/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Springfield is $238,992, which is 5.2× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Missouri has a 4.8% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.335%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.88%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.