Rent Affordability for A Waiter or Waitress in Kansas

A typical waiter or waitress in Kansas earns about $32,877 a year, which supports approximately $822 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Kansas city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.

As of May 2026. 2 of 28 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 26 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Independence, KS$700/mo25.5%affordable
Great Bend, KS$758/mo27.7%affordable
Hutchinson, KS$834/mo30.4%stretched
Emporia, KS$890/mo32.5%stretched
Pittsburg, KS$914/mo33.4%stretched
Salina, KS$966/mo35.3%stretched
Newton, KS$1,084/mo39.6%stretched
Wichita, KS$1,158/mo42.3%rent-burdened
Leavenworth, KS$1,255/mo45.8%rent-burdened
Junction City, KS$1,265/mo46.2%rent-burdened
Topeka, KS$1,287/mo47%rent-burdened
Manhattan, KS$1,332/mo48.6%rent-burdened
Park City, KS$1,340/mo48.9%rent-burdened
Kansas City, KS$1,346/mo49.1%rent-burdened
Lawrence, KS$1,365/mo49.8%rent-burdened
Derby, KS$1,523/mo55.6%severely rent-burdened
Shawnee, KS$1,577/mo57.6%severely rent-burdened
Gardner, KS$1,624/mo59.3%severely rent-burdened
Mission, KS$1,634/mo59.6%severely rent-burdened
Bel Aire, KS$1,674/mo61.1%severely rent-burdened
Goddard, KS$1,698/mo62%severely rent-burdened
Lenexa, KS$1,712/mo62.5%severely rent-burdened
Overland Park, KS$1,794/mo65.5%severely rent-burdened
Leawood, KS$1,849/mo67.5%severely rent-burdened
Olathe, KS$1,855/mo67.7%severely rent-burdened
Fairway, KS$2,007/mo73.3%severely rent-burdened
Spring Hill, KS$2,016/mo73.6%severely rent-burdened
Prairie Village, KS$2,267/mo82.7%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Kansas. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).