Rents are 3% below what Kansas City's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,346 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
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Who lives here
Kansas City, KS is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 20.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Kansas City, KS has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Kansas City, KS paid around $980 a month. That figure now sits near $1,346, up 37.3% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $50,707 to $62,401 between 2021 and 2024, a 23.1% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has eased from 41.4% to 39.1%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 18.8% to 20.8% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in Kansas City, KS reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Kansas City on your salary?
At $1,346/mo, how Kansas City rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Kansas City rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Kansas City. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Kansas City
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Kansas City is $1,346/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,033/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,295/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,138/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,690/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($62,401/yr), Kansas City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.4% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kansas City an affordable city for renters?
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Is rent going up or down in Kansas City?
Which Kansas City neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Kansas City rent compare to other cities in Kansas?
What percentage of Kansas City residents rent vs. own?
How does Kansas City rent compare to the national average?
At $1,346/mo, rent takes ~26% of Kansas City's median household income ($62,401/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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