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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…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | $1,209 | 19% | 71 | Details |
| 2 | Independence | $1,313 | 21% | 77 | Details |
| 3 | St Louis | $1,326 | 21% | 77 | Details |
| 4 | Kansas | $1,418 | 23% | 83 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Springfield — cost index 71, 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.
Dive into Springfield's numbers: cost index 71 (40 points below national average), rent $1,209/month, income $45,984, and a home price of $238,992. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 71, while Healthcare runs 94. With 112,544 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs. Quietly competitive.
Keep reading — the next section adds critical context. Here's the state-level backdrop: Missouri averages a 77 cost index, $1,317/mo rent, and $57,048 income across 4 cities. That's $578 less than the national rent average. Two major metros with small-city price tags — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
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.
| 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 |
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.
112,544 residents · Missouri
Springfield comes in at #1. Rent is $1,209 a month. Household income is $45,984. The cost of living index is 71. You get the picture.
120,922 residents · Missouri
Dive into Independence's numbers: cost index 77 (34 points below national average), rent $1,313/month, income $59,480, and a home price of $203,383. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 77, while Healthcare runs 95. With 120,922 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
281,754 residents · Missouri
A closer look at St Louis: the cost index of 77 breaks down to a Housing index of 77 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). Median rent is $1,326/month — 30% below the national median — while household income sits at $55,279, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. You get the picture. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
152,933 residents · Missouri
Dive into Kansas's numbers: cost index 83 (28 points below national average), rent $1,418/month, income $67,449, and a home price of $245,199. And as far as the data shows, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 83, while Healthcare runs 97. With 152,933 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
We model what a $75K 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 $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 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 $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.