Missouri
Ranked #12 of 51 for housing affordability
Median Home Price
🏠$234K
3.41x income
Median Rent
🔑$1,019
28.5% rent-burdened
Median Income
💰$69K
Population: 6,154,913
Homeownership
🏡69.0%
6,169 experiencing homelessness
Housing Shortage
📉50,000
units needed
Building Permits (2024)
🔨18,464
Price-to-Income
📊3.41x
Severe Rent Burden
⚠️13.8%
paying >50% of income
Rent Burden Breakdown
vs. National Average
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI · Base = 100 (1980s)
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Maximum rent HUD considers fair for Section 8 voucher holders
FMR ($1138) is above the state median rent ($1019) — vouchers cover typical rents.
Metros in Missouri
| Metro | Score | Home Price | Rent | Income | Rent Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | 70 | $248K | $1,102 | $78K | 28.5% |
| Kansas City | 65 | $289K | $1,240 | $80K | 28.5% |
| Joplin | 91 | $170K | $890 | $58K | 20.4% |
| Jefferson City | 89 | $213K | $792 | $69K | 17.0% |
| St. Joseph | 93 | $172K | $898 | $63K | 21.7% |
| Cape Girardeau | 88 | $216K | $865 | $66K | 19.9% |
Market Trends
Homeownership Rate
69.0%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
18.0%
of gross income spent on rent
Total Households
2,556,271
Owner-Occupied
1,758,041
Renter-Occupied
798,230
Homelessness
Latest Count (2024)
7,312
1-Year Change
+9.0%
10-Year Trend (2015–2024)
+12.8%
6,482 → 7,312
Housing Policies
Construction Activity
Total Permits (2024)
18,464
1.3% of national total
Single-Family
11,528
62% of state permits
Multi-Family
6,936
38% of state permits
Mortgage Access
National HMDA data — mortgage denial rates by race/ethnicity
Denial Rates by Race
Top Denial Reasons
Housing Shortage
State Shortage
50,000
units needed
National Shortage
7,300,000
0.7% of national total
Affordable Units per 100 ELI Renters
35
nationally (NLIHC)
National Shortage by Unit Type
45%
Single-Family
18%
Small Multi (2-4)
22%
Medium Multi (5-49)
15%
Large Multi (50+)
Rent Burden Detail
Missouri burden rates with national demographic breakdown
Cost-Burdened Renters
28.5%
paying >30% of income
Severely Burdened
13.8%
paying >50% of income
Households >30% Burden
156,773
Households >35% Burden
62,083