What salary do you need to live in St. Louis, MO?
For a single person: about $63,000/year before taxes to live comfortably. That's the gross income whose MO-taxed take-home covers roughly $1,218 rent plus everyday essentials, with a 20% cushion for savings. Figures include 2025 federal tax, FICA, and an effective 3.5% Missouri income tax.
What jobs here actually pay: the typical St. Louis worker earns about $49,990/year (BLS OEWS, all occupations) — below the $52,000 a single person needs to cover local essentials, so a median local job alone runs 4% short.
Single person — est. essentials $3,485/mo
Tight
take-home covers $3,485/mo
$52,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $4,182/mo
$63,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $5,228/mo
$82,500/yr
2-person household — est. essentials $4,813/mo
Tight
take-home covers $4,813/mo
$69,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $5,776/mo
$84,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $7,220/mo
$108,000/yr
3-person household — est. essentials $5,916/mo
Tight
take-home covers $5,916/mo
$87,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $7,099/mo
$106,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $8,874/mo
$135,500/yr
4-person household — est. essentials $6,863/mo
Tight
take-home covers $6,863/mo
$102,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $8,236/mo
$124,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $10,295/mo
$162,000/yr
How we calculate this
Essentials = typical rent ($1,218) + a national non-housing baseline by household size ($2,450 for one person) + Missouri's combined sales tax on the taxable share of that spending. We then solve for the gross salary whose after-tax take-home hits each tier, including municipal income tax where the city levies one. These assume adults sharing a home. A household with young children also pays childcare, which in most cities is the largest line after rent — run a search with your own household to price it. Property taxes aren't modeled — see the methodology.
Find jobs in St. Louis
Opens each board's search pre-filled for St. Louis, MO.
Planning a move here?
Get notified when St. Louis gets more affordable, plus relocation tips.
We'll only email you what you asked for. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.