Missouri taxes and cost of living (2026)
Missouri has a graduated income tax from 0.00% to 4.70%. A $100,000 salary is worth about $75,057 a year in national buying power after every tax and Missouri's prices, #13 of 51 (the state average is $70,397). Retiring on $50,000 a year takes about $1.17M, #12 lowest.
- State income tax
- 0.0%–4.70%
- Sales tax (avg. combined)
- 8.44%
- Property tax (effective)
- 0.79%
- Cost of living
- 90.8
- US = 100
- Social Security taxed?
- No
- Median home
- $254K
Take-home pay in Missouri
Single filer, 10% of salary to a pre-tax 401(k), standard deduction, renting. All taxes include estimated sales tax.
| Salary | Federal | FICA | State + local | All-in tax rate | Take-home | In US dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,220 | $3,825 | $1,140 | 17.7% | $36,815 | $40,538 |
| $75,000 | $6,020 | $5,738 | $2,193 | 20.0% | $53,550 | $58,964 |
| $100,000 | $10,970 | $7,650 | $3,215 | 23.2% | $68,165 | $75,057 |
| $150,000 | $21,134 | $11,475 | $5,408 | 26.7% | $96,983 | $106,790 |
| $250,000 | $43,304 | $15,514 | $9,638 | 28.7% | $156,544 | $172,373 |
What it takes to retire in Missouri
Married couple, age 60, withdrawals 60% from 401(k)/IRA, 20% Roth, 20% brokerage, no Social Security yet, renting. Spending at US-average prices.
| Spending | At MO prices | Income taxes | All taxes | FI number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,327 | $0 | $1,088 | $908.2K |
| $60,000 | $54,490 | $52.55 | $1,685 | $1.36M |
| $80,000 | $72,654 | $1,623 | $3,799 | $1.86M |
| $120,000 | $108,980 | $5,377 | $8,643 | $2.86M |
Missouri tax rules at a glance
- Income tax: Missouri has a graduated income tax from 0.00% to 4.70%. Top rate 4.7% for 2026 (unchanged). Brackets are indexed and are the same for all filing statuses; 2026 thresholds come from the DOR 2026 withholding formula. Missouri uses the federal standard deduction ($16,100 / $32,200). Federal income tax is partly deductible: up to $5,000 single / $10,000 MFJ, as a percentage that falls as AGI rises, ending above $125,000. HJR 173 (2026) is a ballot measure that would authorize a future income tax phase-out; no rate change in 2026.
- Local income tax: Kansas City and St. Louis levy a 1% earnings tax on residents and on nonresidents who work in the city; no other local income taxes.
- Social Security: Not taxed. Fully exempt since tax year 2024.
- Retirement income: Public pension exemption up to the maximum Social Security benefit, subject to income limits. Private pension/IRA/401(k) exemption of up to $6,000, with Missouri AGI limits. Military retirement is fully exempt.
- Capital gains: HB 594 (2025) allows a 100% subtraction of federally reported capital gains (short and long term) for individuals from tax year 2025. Gains are effectively untaxed.
- Sales tax: 4.23% state rate, 8.44% average with local taxes; groceries taxed at a reduced rate.
Compare Missouri with
Frequently asked questions
Does Missouri have a state income tax?
Missouri has a graduated income tax from 0.00% to 4.70%. Top rate 4.7% for 2026 (unchanged). Brackets are indexed and are the same for all filing statuses; 2026 thresholds come from the DOR 2026 withholding formula. Missouri uses the federal standard deduction ($16,100 / $32,200). Federal income tax is partly deductible: up to $5,000 single / $10,000 MFJ, as a percentage that falls as AGI rises, ending above $125,000. HJR 173 (2026) is a ballot measure that would authorize a future income tax phase-out; no rate change in 2026.
How much is $100,000 after taxes in Missouri?
A single filer earning $100,000 who puts $10,000 in a 401(k) takes home about $68,165 after federal, state and local income taxes and payroll taxes, an all-in effective rate of 23.2% including estimated sales tax.
Does Missouri tax Social Security?
No. Missouri does not tax Social Security benefits. Fully exempt since tax year 2024.
How much do you need to retire in Missouri?
To spend $50,000 a year (at US-average prices) with withdrawals mostly from a 401(k)/IRA, you'd need about $1.17M in Missouri using the 4% rule, after its cost of living and taxes.
Is Missouri expensive to live in?
Missouri's cost of living index is 90.8, where the US average is 100 (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The median home is worth about $254,400 and median rent is $1,067 a month.
How this is calculated
- Income taxes use 2026 federal and state brackets, standard deductions and personal exemptions or credits. No itemized deductions or other credits. Local income taxes use a typical statewide rate (for example, Maryland's county taxes or New York City's); many places have none.
- Payroll taxes include Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base), Medicare, and employee-paid state programs such as California SDI or Washington's paid leave premium. A married household salary is treated as two equal earners for payroll-tax caps.
- Cost of living uses the Bureau of Economic Analysis's Regional Price Parities (2024), where the US average is 100. Spending you enter at national prices is scaled by each state's index.
- Sales tax is estimated as the average combined state and local rate on about a third of spending (more where groceries are taxed). It is shown for context but not added to costs, because the price parities already include it. Property tax applies the state's effective rate to its median home value (Census ACS 2024) if you own.
- Retirement solves for the withdrawal that covers your spending plus the taxes it triggers, using each state's treatment of Social Security, retirement-account withdrawals and capital gains, then multiplies by 25 (a 4% withdrawal rate).
- Years to FI starts from zero, adds what you save each year in that state, and grows it at a 5% real return until it reaches that state's FI number.
Estimates for comparison, not tax advice. Your actual taxes depend on deductions, credits, where in the state you live and more. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities, Census ACS, state sales tax rates, IRS, state revenue departments (per state).