Rents are right about where Kansas City's 10-year trend predicts.
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 $1,428 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: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Kansas City usually run 0.8% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in July, about $23 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Kansas City is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Kansas City changed +4.5% over the year to August 2026. Across the 59 Missouri cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.0%.
Rent in Kansas City is 45.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 15 months in a row, and rose in 12 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($69,166) is $1,729 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,397); a 3-bedroom is $1,823.
The priciest of 28 ZIP codes in Kansas City, 64113 ($2,158/mo), costs 1.9 times the cheapest, 64131 ($1,152/mo).
Gladstone, 8 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,182/mo), about $3,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Kansas City. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Kansas City, MO is majority owner-occupied, 38.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Kansas City, MO has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Kansas City, MO has climbed from $1,058 to $1,428, a 35.0% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $60,042 to $69,166 across the same window, up 15.2% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.6% since 2021, moving from about 502,597 residents to roughly 510,612. Renters now make up 44.6% of households, compared with 46.1% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Kansas City, MO look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Kansas City on your salary?
At $1,428/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: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Kansas City is $1,428/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,113/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,397/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,226/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,823/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($69,166/yr), Kansas City ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Kansas City?
At $1,428/mo, rent takes ~25% of Kansas City's median household income ($69,166/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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