Kansas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Smith County, KS

Prices around Smith County, KS run 9.9% below the U.S. average (BEA, Kansas). The typical household there earns $59,135 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $877 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $35,080 a year.

Smith County, KS at a glance

Median household income

$59,135$4,928 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$877HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.1-9.9% · BEA, Kansas
Electricity15.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential KS
Population3,552Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Smith County, KS?

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$877Monthly market rent
Share of gross income17.8%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$35,080To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,478At 30% of $59,135
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Smith County, KS? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Smith County, KS, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$643$7,716$25,72013%
1-Bedroom Apartment$762$9,144$30,48015.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$877$10,524$35,08017.8%
3-Bedroom Home$1,134$13,608$45,36023%
4-Bedroom Home$1,276$15,312$51,04025.9%

Rent in Smith County, KS, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Smith County, KS

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,135 a year ($4,928 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,464/moRent ($877 2-BR), utilities (~$141/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,478/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$986/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,135 leaves after Kansas taxes

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

$59,135
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,135
Net 80%
Fed 8%
KS 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,195After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,933Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,815Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,916 / yr
Kansas state income tax$2,500 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,524 / yr

Living in Smith County, KS: common questions

What is the median household income in Smith County, KS?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Smith County, KS is $59,135 per year (approximately $4,928 per month).

What is the average rent in Smith County, KS?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $643 for a studio, $762 for one bedroom, $877 for two, $1,134 for three and $1,276 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 Smith County, KS expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9.9% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Kansas is 90.1, 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 Smith County, KS?

To keep a $877 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $35,080 a year, or $2,923 a month. That is 59% of what the typical household in Smith County, KS earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Smith County, KS?

On the local median income of $59,135 ($4,928 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,464 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,478 for everything else and $986 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $877 takes 36% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Smith County, KS?

Homes in Kansas paid 15.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $141. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.