Missouri · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Cooper County, MO

Prices around Cooper County, MO run 10.6% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $70,625 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $958 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $38,320 a year.

Cooper County, MO at a glance

Median household income

$70,625$5,885 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$958HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)89.4-10.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential MO
Population16,824Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Cooper County, MO?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$958Monthly market rent
Share of gross income16.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,766At 30% of $70,625
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Cooper County, MO? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Cooper County, MO HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Cooper County, MO, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$668$8,016$26,72011.4%
1-Bedroom Apartment$730$8,760$29,20012.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$958$11,496$38,32016.3%
3-Bedroom Home$1,182$14,184$47,28020.1%
4-Bedroom Home$1,497$17,964$59,88025.4%

Rent in Cooper County, MO, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Cooper County, MO

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $70,625 a year ($5,885 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,943/moRent ($958 2-BR), utilities (~$146/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,766/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,177/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $70,625 leaves after Missouri taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Missouri tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$70,625
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$70,625
Net 80%
Fed 9%
MO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,159After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,680Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,160Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,708 / yr
Missouri state income tax$2,356 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,403 / yr

Living in Cooper County, MO: common questions

What is the median household income in Cooper County, MO?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Cooper County, MO is $70,625 per year (approximately $5,885 per month).

What is the average rent in Cooper County, MO?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $668 for a studio, $730 for one bedroom, $958 for two, $1,182 for three and $1,497 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Cooper County, MO expensive to live in?

Prices there run 10.6% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 89.4, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Cooper County, MO?

To keep a $958 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $38,320 a year, or $3,193 a month. That is 54% of what the typical household in Cooper County, MO earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Cooper County, MO?

On the local median income of $70,625 ($5,885 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,943 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,766 for everything else and $1,177 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $958 takes 33% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Cooper County, MO?

Homes in Missouri paid 16.2¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $146. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.