Missouri · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Ray County, MO

Prices around Ray County, MO run 7.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $74,573 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,358 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $54,320 a year.

Ray County, MO at a glance

Median household income

$74,573$6,214 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,358HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)92.5-7.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.2¢per kWh · EIA Residential MO
Population23,145Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Ray 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$1,358Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$54,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,864At 30% of $74,573
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Ray County, MO, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,095$13,140$43,80017.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,197$14,364$47,88019.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,358$16,296$54,32021.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,769$21,228$70,76028.5%
4-Bedroom Home$2,103$25,236$84,12033.8%

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

What a typical income covers in Ray County, MO

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $74,573 a year ($6,214 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,107/moRent ($1,358 2-BR), utilities (~$146/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,864/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,243/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $74,573 leaves after Missouri taxes

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

$74,573
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$74,573
Net 79%
Fed 10%
MO 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$58,757After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,896Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,260Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,576 / yr
Missouri state income tax$2,535 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,705 / yr

Living in Ray County, MO: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Ray County, MO is $74,573 per year (approximately $6,214 per month).

What is the average rent in Ray County, MO?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,095 for a studio, $1,197 for one bedroom, $1,358 for two, $1,769 for three and $2,103 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 Ray County, MO expensive to live in?

Prices there run 7.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 92.5, 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 Ray County, MO?

To keep a $1,358 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $54,320 a year, or $4,527 a month. That is 73% of what the typical household in Ray County, MO earns.

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

On the local median income of $74,573 ($6,214 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,107 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,864 for everything else and $1,243 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,358 takes 44% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Ray 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.