The Kansas City metro is home to 2,202,006 people (up 4.5% over five years), with a median household income of $81,927. Typical rent of $1,534/month works out to 22.5% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Kansas City's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 22.2% |
| Professional & management | 13.4% |
| Retail trade | 10.8% |
| Manufacturing | 9.4% |
| Finance, insurance & real estate | 8.6% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 22.5% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Kansas City market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,534/month suggests a household income around $61,000/year. The metro's median household income is $81,927.
By workforce share: Education & health care (22.2%), Professional & management (13.4%), Retail trade (10.8%) (Census ACS 5-year).