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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 $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Missouri using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Spring…
#1 Ranked: Springfield — cost index 90, rent $1,209/mo, income $45,984
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. 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.
If you stopped at the ranking, you'd miss the real insight. 4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. The delta here is big enough to fund a retirement account.
Here's Springfield by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 90. Rent: $1,209/month. Income: $45,984/year. Home price: $238,992. Population: 112,544. The strongest category is Housing at 76; the most expensive is Healthcare at 93. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,232 per year vs. the national median. That's a margin of safety most budgets don't have.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Springfield ($1,209/mo, 19%), Independence ($1,313/mo, 21%), St Louis ($1,326/mo, 21%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $54,110 to $54,110/year across these top picks.
Now, stack that against what people actually earn here: The 4 cities we track in Missouri paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 91. Median rent: $1,317/month. Household income: $57,048. Missouri is known for two major metros with small-city price tags — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
In plain English: Bottom line: Springfield leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 4 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
Rent in #1-ranked Springfield has increased from $1,177 to $1,209/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | $1,209 | 19% | 90 | Details |
| 2 | Independence | $1,313 | 21% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | St Louis | $1,326 | 21% | 89 | Details |
| 4 | Kansas | $1,418 | 23% | 94 | Details |
112,544 residents · Missouri
Here's Springfield by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 90. Rent: $1,209/month. Income: $45,984/year. Home price: $238,992. Population: 112,544. The strongest category is Housing at 76; the most expensive is Healthcare at 93. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,232 per year vs. the national median. For families with student loans, that cost gap is a second income.
120,922 residents · Missouri
The #2 spot goes to Independence, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,313/month — saving renters $6,984 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 76, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 93. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
281,754 residents · Missouri
St Louis earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 89 cost index sits 23 points below the national baseline, and the $55,279 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $179,917 — $287,453 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 74, while Healthcare trails at 92.
152,933 residents · Missouri
The #4 spot goes to Kansas, and the breakdown explains why. And roughly speaking, renters here pay $1,418/month — saving renters $5,724 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 85, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone. One to watch.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Springfield | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $54,110 |
2Independence | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $54,110 |
3St Louis | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $54,110 |
4Kansas | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $54,110 |
We calculate what percentage of a $75K 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 $75K salary in Springfield, rent would consume about 19% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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 $75K in Springfield is approximately $54,110/year ($4,509/month). After median rent of $1,209/month, you'd have roughly $39,602/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.