Cost of living in Missouri
Prices in Missouri are 9.2% below the US average (39th highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $2,534 in state income tax. State sales tax: 4.225%.
Price levels in Missouri
| BEA RPP 2024 | Missouri | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.8 | −9.2% |
| Goods | 96.3 | −3.7% |
| Housing (rents) | 69.9 | −30.1% |
| Utilities | 79.4 | −20.6% |
| Other services | 95.2 | −4.8% |
Metros in Missouri
Metros whose principal city is in Missouri. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,814,421 | 95.1 | $1,349 | $219 (2020) | $1,267 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 2,270,682 | 92.5 | $1,546 | $211 (2020) | $1,088 |
| Springfield, MO | 500,694 | 88.6 | $1,113 | $143 (2020) | $1,592 |
| Columbia, MO | 219,062 | 89.4 | $1,076 | no data | $1,546 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 208,796 | 85.7 | $1,153 | no data | $1,595 |
| Jefferson City, MO | 152,712 | 88.0 | $962 | no data | $1,770 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 119,170 | 86.4 | $1,101 | no data | $1,648 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 99,215 | 86.1 | $1,012 | no data | $1,671 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Taxes in Missouri (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| Missouri income tax | $1,368 | $2,534 | $4,661 | $3,933 |
| Missouri payroll taxes | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,416 | $4,922 | $7,382 | $8,437 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, Missouri’s income and payroll taxes cost $2,534 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across Missouri
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2020) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $215 | $14,468 | $153 |
| Toddler (2) | $169 | $11,348 | $125 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $169 | $11,348 | $125 |
| School-age (5–12) | $142 | $9,546 | $142 |
DOL has no 2022 childcare prices for Missouri; these are the latest published, from 2020.
Center-based infant care ranges from $143 a week in Greene County to $274 in St. Louis County (2020 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2020; median across 7 counties with 2020 data (11 more counties have only an older year and are not included here). *52 weeks × 1.2945 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2020 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | $276,800 | $3,335 | 1.20% |
| Jackson County | $230,500 | $2,575 | 1.12% |
| St. Charles County | $320,800 | $3,480 | 1.08% |
| Clay County | $275,600 | $2,941 | 1.07% |
| Platte County | $345,100 | $3,613 | 1.05% |
| Osage County | $223,300 | $1,307 | 0.59% |
| Bollinger County | $179,800 | $1,034 | 0.58% |
| Polk County | $205,800 | $1,137 | 0.55% |
| Webster County | $228,800 | $1,196 | 0.52% |
| Dallas County | $190,300 | $756 | 0.40% |
Five highest and five lowest of 35 counties.
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from Missouri
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 139,911 in, 131,940 out (net +7,971).
- Kansas21,660 ±3,165
- Texas15,134 ±4,365
- Illinois10,892 ±2,510
- Florida8,080 ±2,426
- California5,144 ±1,672
- Arkansas4,434 ±1,780
- North Carolina4,136 ±2,215
- Oklahoma4,054 ±1,228
Frequently asked questions
Is Missouri expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put Missouri’s overall price level at 90.8 in 2024 (US = 100), the 39th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 69.9 and goods 96.3.
Does Missouri have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $2,534 in Missouri income tax under 2026 law (3.4% of pay).
What is the sales tax in Missouri?+
The state rate is 4.225% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are taxed at 1.225%. Local sales taxes can add to this.
What is the most affordable metro in Missouri?+
For a single renter earning $60,000, Jefferson City, MO leaves the most each month after taxes and modeled costs ($1,770), and Kansas City, MO-KS the least ($1,088).