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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Young professionals don't just need cheap — they need opportunity. We scored 4 cities across Missouri on income, market size, and transport costs. St Louis ($55,279 median income, 281,754 people) ranks #1 for 2026.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Louis | 77 | $1,326 | Details |
| 2 | Kansas | 83 | $1,418 | Details |
| 3 | Independence | 77 | $1,313 | Details |
| 4 | Springfield | 71 | $1,209 | Details |
#1 Ranked: St Louis — cost index 77, rent $1,326/mo, income $55,279
St Louis rent up 3% over the past year
Young-professional scoring: income $55,279, population 281,754 (job market depth), transport index 94
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Young professionals don't just need cheap — they need opportunity. We scored 4 cities across Missouri on income, market size, and transport costs. St Louis ($55,279 median income, 281,754 people) ranks #1 for 2026.
So, St Louis. Cost index of 77, rent at $1,326/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $55,279, which is below the national median. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
And there's one more thing: Across Missouri, the average cost of living index is 77 — 34 points below the national median. Known for two major metros with small-city price tags, the state offers 4 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,317/month. That's $578 less than the national average of $1,895. That's the sort of advantage that turns renters into homeowners.
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.
281,754 residents · Missouri
So, St Louis. That's more or less in line with the region. Cost index of 77, rent at $1,326/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $55,279, which is below the national median. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
152,933 residents · Missouri
What does daily life actually cost in Kansas? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 83) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 97) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $67,449 and homes at $245,199 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
120,922 residents · Missouri
Independence earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 77 cost index sits 34 points below the national baseline, and the $59,480 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $203,383 — $263,987 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 77, while Healthcare trails at 95.
112,544 residents · Missouri
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.
St Louis ranks #1 in Missouri for this analysis with a cost index of 77 and median income of $55,279.
St Louis scores highest for young professionals due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,326/mo, and competitive median income of $55,279.
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.
St Louis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 77 and rent of $1,326/mo, while Springfield (ranked #4) has a cost index of 71 and rent of $1,209/mo — a 6-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 St Louis is $1,326/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $569 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in St Louis is $179,917, which is 3.3× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. 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.