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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 $100K 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. Sprin…
#1 Ranked: Springfield — cost index 71, rent $1,209/mo, income $45,984
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
4 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K 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 $100K 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. Hard to argue with that.
So, Springfield. Cost index of 71, rent at $1,209/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $45,984, which is below the national median. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
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. Honestly, this is the kind of city that makes you wonder why more people aren't paying attention. The numbers are right there — rent that doesn't eat your paycheck, costs that actually leave room for a life. And yet it barely shows up in the national conversation about affordable places to live. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's what keeps it affordable.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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 | 15% | 71 | Details |
| 2 | Independence | $1,313 | 16% | 77 | Details |
| 3 | St Louis | $1,326 | 16% | 77 | Details |
| 4 | Kansas | $1,418 | 17% | 83 | Details |
112,544 residents · Missouri
A closer look at Springfield: the cost index of 71 breaks down to a Housing index of 71 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 94 (weakest). Median rent is $1,209/month — 36% below the national median — while household income sits at $45,984, meaning locals spend about 32% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
120,922 residents · Missouri
At $1,313/month for rent and a cost index of 77, Independence is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $59,480. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Below the radar, but not for long.
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 77) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) 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
Kansas earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And more often than not, the 83 cost index sits 28 points below the national baseline, and the $67,449 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $245,199 — $222,171 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 83, while Healthcare trails at 97. Surprising? Maybe. But the data's clear.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Springfield | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $70,497 |
2Independence | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $70,497 |
3St Louis | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $70,497 |
4Kansas | 4.8% | 8.335% | 0.88% | $70,497 |
We model what a $100K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 71 and median income of $45,984.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Springfield, rent would consume about 15% 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 71 and rent of $1,209/mo, while Kansas (ranked #4) has a cost index of 83 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 12-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 $100K in Springfield is approximately $70,497/year ($5,875/month). After median rent of $1,209/month, you'd have roughly $55,989/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.