What is take-home pay on $50,000 in St. Louis?

A single W-2 filer keeps about $40,442 a year, or $3,370 a month (80.9% of gross).

Can you afford rent on $50,000 in St. Louis?

Typical 1-bedroom rent is $1,150/month. The 30% rule implies about $46,000 of gross income. Comfortable single-earner budget: $77,000.

Tight

No — St. Louis is a squeeze at this salary. Typical rent alone is hard to cover without roommates or a much cheaper unit than the city median.

No — St. Louis is a squeeze at this salary. After federal, FICA, Missouri tax, and any local wage tax, take-home is about $40,442.

Typical rent alone is hard to cover without roommates or a much cheaper unit than the city median.

2026 paycheck inputs

Gross pay

Match the frequency below. Hourly is hours per week × 52. Dollar signs and commas are fine.

Frequency

Hours / week

State

City (optional local tax)

Filing status

Employment

Traditional 401(k) / year

Local tax override %

Take-home

$40,442

$3,370 a month · 80.9% of gross after tax

Kansas City and St. Louis levy local earnings taxes. Annual liability estimate for tax year 2026, not a W-4 withholding forecast.