Missouri · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Dent County, MO

Prices around Dent County, MO run 9.2% below the U.S. average (BEA, Missouri). The typical household there earns $56,312 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $892 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $35,680 a year.

Dent County, MO at a glance

Median household income

$56,312$4,693 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$892HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.8-9.2% · BEA, Missouri
Electricity16.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential MO
Population14,539Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Dent 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$892Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$35,680To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,408At 30% of $56,312
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Dent County, MO, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$663$7,956$26,52014.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$680$8,160$27,20014.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$892$10,704$35,68019%
3-Bedroom Home$1,070$12,840$42,80022.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,326$15,912$53,04028.3%

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

What a typical income covers in Dent County, MO

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $56,312 a year ($4,693 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,346/moRent ($892 2-BR), utilities (~$146/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,408/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$939/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $56,312 leaves after Missouri taxes

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

$56,312
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$56,312
Net 81%
Fed 8%
MO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$45,729After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,811Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,759Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,577 / yr
Missouri state income tax$1,698 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,308 / yr

Living in Dent County, MO: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Dent County, MO is $56,312 per year (approximately $4,693 per month).

What is the average rent in Dent County, MO?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $663 for a studio, $680 for one bedroom, $892 for two, $1,070 for three and $1,326 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 Dent County, MO expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9.2% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Missouri is 90.8, 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 Dent County, MO?

To keep a $892 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $35,680 a year, or $2,973 a month. That is 63% of what the typical household in Dent County, MO earns.

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

On the local median income of $56,312 ($4,693 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,346 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,408 for everything else and $939 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $892 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Dent 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.