Kansas City, KS Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Kansas City, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Kansas City →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Kansas City, Kansas is home to roughly 155,438 residents. The typical household here earns $56,120 a year — below the median we track across cities (-22%).
Anyone weighing a move to Kansas City should know the median home value is $133,800, below the multi-city median (-59%), and median rent runs $1,044 per month. Current mortgage rates and local property taxes both affect the real math of buying versus renting.
At roughly 2.4 times median household income, home values in Kansas City are on the affordable end compared to the cities we cover. The local market has seen 4.13% price growth over the past year — solid, sustainable movement rather than a rapid runup. FEMA's National Risk Index puts Kansas City at Relatively Moderate for overall natural-hazard risk — a relatively favorable factor for insurance costs.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,044/mo in Kansas City would take 22.3% of your income.
$359/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($133,800) would take 15.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$595/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Kansas City
Median home value is $133,800 and median gross rent is $1,044/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Wyandotte rose 4.13% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,358/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Kansas City's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Kansas City reported a violent crime rate of 981.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Kansas City
Planning a move to Kansas City? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Kansas City, KS?
- The US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022) puts Kansas City's median home value at $133,800, median rent at $1,044/month, and median household income at $56,120.
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kansas City?
- A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $1,044/month in Kansas City, that implies an income of about $41,760 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Kansas City.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Kansas City?
- Buying at Kansas City's median home value of $133,800 takes about $30,613 a year in principal-and-interest income (20% down, 30-year fixed, current mortgage rates), compared with roughly $41,760 a year to comfortably rent at the median $1,044/month. Down payment and expected length of stay usually settle the question.
- Is Kansas City safe?
- Kansas City reported a violent crime rate of 981.4 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data. Compare that figure against other cities you're considering for context.
See the full salary breakdown for Kansas City →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Kansas City's.