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Living in Kansas · 2026

Is $38,000 enough to live in Kansas?

Single adult · KS · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Comfortable

Monthly take-home

$2,578

Avg monthly expenses

$2,057

Avg monthly surplus

$521

Savings potential

~20%

After-tax take-home in Kansas

Gross salary$38,000
Federal income tax− $2,454
State income tax− $1,709
Social Security− $2,356
Medicare− $551
Annual take-home$30,930
Effective tax rate18.61%

How $38,000 feels in Kansas cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Wichita

COL index: 0.85× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$950
Food
$387
Transport
$149
Utilities
$140
Healthcare
$170
Total: $1,796/mo
Surplus: $782/mo
Rent burden: 36.9% — High (35–50%)
Full Wichita analysis →

Overland Park

COL index: 1.05× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,350
Food
$449
Transport
$184
Utilities
$173
Healthcare
$210
Total: $2,366/mo
Surplus: $212/mo
Rent burden: 52.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Overland Park analysis →

Kansas City

COL index: 0.96× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,200
Food
$418
Transport
$168
Utilities
$158
Healthcare
$192
Total: $2,136/mo
Surplus: $442/mo
Rent burden: 46.6% — High (35–50%)
Full Kansas City analysis →

Topeka

COL index: 0.83× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$900
Food
$378
Transport
$145
Utilities
$137
Healthcare
$166
Total: $1,726/mo
Surplus: $852/mo
Rent burden: 34.9% — Manageable (25–35%)
Full Topeka analysis →

Olathe

COL index: 1.03× national avg

Manageable
Rent (1BR)
$1,300
Food
$440
Transport
$180
Utilities
$170
Healthcare
$206
Total: $2,296/mo
Surplus: $282/mo
Rent burden: 50.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Olathe analysis →

Lawrence

COL index: 0.93× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,100
Food
$418
Transport
$163
Utilities
$153
Healthcare
$186
Total: $2,020/mo
Surplus: $558/mo
Rent burden: 42.7% — High (35–50%)
Full Lawrence analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,578 ($30,936/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$1,289

per month

  • ›Rent / mortgage
  • ›Groceries
  • ›Utilities
  • ›Insurance
  • ›Minimum debt payments
  • ›Transportation
Wants30%

$773

per month

  • ›Dining out
  • ›Streaming services
  • ›Gym
  • ›Hobbies
  • ›Travel
  • ›Shopping
Savings20%

$516

per month

  • ›Emergency fund
  • ›401(k) / IRA
  • ›Investments
  • ›Down payment fund
  • ›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$15,468

Wants / year

$9,281

Savings / year

$6,187

Salary Intelligence

Below comfortable level in Wichita

Rent would consume 37% of take-home income — above the 35% stress threshold. A higher salary or lower-cost housing is needed for financial stability in this city.

Lifestyle score: 6.8/10 (Good)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $38,000 salary comfortably supports a good single lifestyle in Wichita, Kansas, with approximately $782/month (~30% of take-home) available for savings — meeting or exceeding the recommended 20% savings rate.

Purchasing Power

Due to Wichita's low cost of living (index: 0.85), $38,000 here has the purchasing power of roughly $82,706 in San Francisco or $87,176 in New York City. Your dollar goes significantly further here.

State & National Benchmark

$38,000 is 6% below the Kansas individual median of $40,500. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$40,500

-6%

State household median

$69,747

-46%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)
Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$38,000 vs. Kansas income benchmarks

Individual median (Kansas)

$40,500

-6% vs. this salary

Household median (Kansas)

$69,747

-46% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Kansas

$40,000$60,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$300,000
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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.