Is $80,000 a good salary in Missouri?

$80,000 in Missouri provides a monthly take-home of approximately $5,096 after taxes. Across major Missouri cities, this salary is rated very comfortable, with an average monthly surplus of $3,025.

What is the cost of living on $80,000 in Missouri?

The average monthly living cost across major Missouri cities is approximately $2,071 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $80,000 take-home pay of $5,096/month, you would have roughly $3,025/month remaining.

Living in Missouri · 2026

Is $80,000 enough to live in Missouri?

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

Statewide verdict:Very comfortable

Monthly take-home

$5,096

Avg monthly expenses

$2,071

Avg monthly surplus

$3,025

Savings potential

~59%

After-tax take-home in Missouri

Gross salary$80,000

Federal income tax− $8,954

State income tax− $3,777

Social Security− $4,960

Medicare− $1,160

Annual take-home$61,149

Effective tax rate23.56%

How $80,000 feels in Missouri cities

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

Kansas City

COL index: 0.96× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,200

Food

$418

Transport

$168

Utilities

$158

Healthcare

$192

Total: $2,136/mo

Surplus: $2,960/mo

Rent burden: 23.5% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Kansas City analysis →

St Louis

COL index: 0.96× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,200

Food

$405

Transport

$168

Utilities

$158

Healthcare

$192

Total: $2,123/mo

Surplus: $2,973/mo

Rent burden: 23.5% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full St Louis analysis →

Springfield

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,000

Food

$396

Transport

$154

Utilities

$145

Healthcare

$176

Total: $1,871/mo

Surplus: $3,225/mo

Rent burden: 19.6% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Springfield analysis →

Columbia

COL index: 1.00× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,250

Food

$409

Transport

$175

Utilities

$165

Healthcare

$200

Total: $2,199/mo

Surplus: $2,897/mo

Rent burden: 24.5% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Columbia analysis →

Independence

COL index: 0.91× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,050

Food

$396

Transport

$159

Utilities

$150

Healthcare

$182

Total: $1,937/mo

Surplus: $3,159/mo

Rent burden: 20.6% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Independence analysis →

Lee Summit

COL index: 0.98× national avg

Very comfortable

Rent (1BR)

$1,200

Food

$431

Transport

$172

Utilities

$162

Healthcare

$196

Total: $2,161/mo

Surplus: $2,935/mo

Rent burden: 23.5% — Affordable (< 25%)

Full Lee Summit analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $5,096 ($61,152/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$2,548

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$1,529

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$1,019

per month

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

Needs / year

$30,576

Wants / year

$18,346

Savings / year

$12,230

Salary Intelligence

Good salary in Kansas City

Rent represents 24% of take-home income — comfortably within the recommended 25% guideline. This is a solid salary for this location.

Lifestyle score: 7.5/10 (Very Good)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $80,000 salary comfortably supports a very good single lifestyle in Kansas City, Missouri, with approximately $2,960/month (~58% of take-home) available for savings — meeting or exceeding the recommended 20% savings rate.

Purchasing Power

Kansas City is near the national cost-of-living average (index: 0.96). $80,000 here is roughly equivalent to $154,167 in San Francisco or $73,333 in an affordable city like Birmingham.

State & National Benchmark

$80,000 is 104% above the Missouri individual median of $39,200 and 43% above the US national individual median of $56,000. This is a top-quartile income in this state.

State individual median

$39,200

+104%

State household median

$67,716

+18%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

401(k) Age 50+ Catch-Up Contribution — Up to $2,775 additional tax savings (37% bracket)

$80,000 vs. Missouri income benchmarks

Individual median (Missouri)

$39,200

+104% vs. this salary

Household median (Missouri)

$67,716

+18% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Missouri

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

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.