Sacramento vs Kansas City: Cost of Living (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of Sacramento, CA and Kansas City, MO, using US Census Bureau data.

MetricSacramento, CAKansas City, MO
Population523,600505,958
Median household income$78,954$65,256
Median home value$450,500$208,900
Median rent (/mo)$1,592$1,131

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Highlighted cell = more affordable / higher income.

Comparing Sacramento, CA and Kansas City, MO comes down to what you value most. Kansas City has the lower median home value, and Kansas City has the lower median rent.

Sacramento has the higher median household income, which affects how far a paycheck stretches against local housing costs. The table below breaks down the key numbers side by side, all sourced from the US Census Bureau.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to live in Sacramento or Kansas City?
By median home value, Kansas City is the cheaper of the two ($208,900 vs $450,500). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
Which has higher salaries, Sacramento or Kansas City?
Median household income is $78,954 in Sacramento versus $65,256 in Kansas City, per the US Census Bureau.

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