If you think rents are too high in the Kansas City area, housing researchers agree with you.
Rents are rising faster in Missouri and Kansas than the rest of the nation, according to an April report by rental site Rent.com.
Between March 2023 and March 2024, Kansas’ median rent rose by 9.8%, while Missouri’s increased by 9.7%, the third and fourth highest increase in the nation.
And for workers, the minimum wage is not covering housing, as shown in a study released last month by the National Low Income Housing Coalition , which researches housing policy across the nation. Using HUD and Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2023 and adjusting for inflation, the nonprofit released its annual report on housing affordability in every state last month.
The Fair Market Rent — the 40th percentile for housing costs — for the Kansas City area in 2024 is $1,098 for one bedroom and $1,258 for two bedroom.
In order to afford a two-bedroom apartment or home in the Kansas City area, workers would need to be paid $24.19 an hour, or $50,315 annually. This assumes a worker clocks in 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year and does not pay more than 30% of their income on rent.
The ideal salary in the Kansas City area is more than three times Kansas’ minimum wage of $7.25 an hour and a little less than twice the Missouri minimum wage of $12.30 an hour.
This also exceeds the wage of a median worker in both states — just over $45,000 annually, according to federal data. Half of Kansas and Missouri workers make less than $45,000, and half make more.
A Kansas minimum wage worker would need to clock in 112 hours a week — 2.8 full-time jobs — to pay for a two-bedroom apartment in the state, or 91 hours — 2.3 full time jobs — for a one-bedroom apartment.
In Missouri, working 68 hours a week at minimum wage would pay for a two-bedroom apartment in the state, while 55 hours a week would cover a one bedroom.
How will this change?
Missouri’s minimum wage raises each year to adjust for cost of living increases — it increased 30 cents an hour in January. Voters across the state approved the change in 2018. Kansas’ minimum wage is the same as the federal one.
In November, Missouri residents might vote again on the state minimum wage. The proposed ballot question would ask Missourians if they want to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2026 and grant paid sick time to all workers.
What states are best and worst for minimum wage workers?
Kansas and Missouri were some of the states where housing was less expensive for those making minimum wage. Kansas was ninth least expensive in the nation, with Missouri right behind at 12th.
The five states where housing is most expensive for minimum wage workers.
The five states where housing is the least expensive for minimum wage workers.
The Star’s Natalie Wallington contributed to this report.
Do you have more questions about affordable housing in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com .
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