Side-by-side tax comparison between Kansas (5.7% top rate, graduated) and Missouri (4.8% top rate, graduated). See which state lets you keep more at every salary level, and how cost of living changes the picture.
Kansas uses a graduated income tax (3.1-5.7%) while Missouri has a graduated system (2-4.8%). On a $100K salary, Kansas takes $3,705 in state and local taxes compared to Missouri’s $4,620 \u2014 a difference of $915.
Both states use graduated brackets, but Kansas’s top rate of 5.7% is higher than Missouri’s 4.8%.
Missouri also has local income taxes (estimated at $1,500/year on $100K), which Kansas does not.
Kansas wins at 10 out of 10 salary levels tested. The advantage exists but is modest across the income spectrum.
| Salary | Kansas | Missouri | Difference | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40K | $32,838 | $32,472 | −$366 | Kansas |
| $50K | $40,503 | $40,045 | −$458 | Kansas |
| $60K | $48,167 | $47,618 | −$549 | Kansas |
| $75K | $58,759 | $58,073 | −$686 | Kansas |
| $100K | $75,420 | $74,505 | −$915 | Kansas |
| $120K | $88,749 | $87,651 | −$1,098 | Kansas |
| $150K | $108,194 | $106,821 | −$1,373 | Kansas |
| $200K | $141,477 | $139,647 | −$1,830 | Kansas |
| $250K | $174,002 | $171,714 | −$2,288 | Kansas |
| $300K | $204,214 | $201,469 | −$2,745 | Kansas |
Take-home pay only tells part of the story. Kansas has a cost of living index of 90 while Missouri is at 89 (national average = 100).
With similar costs of living (90 vs 89), the tax difference is the primary factor. What you see in raw take-home pay is essentially what you get in purchasing power: $83,800 in Kansas vs $83,713 in Missouri.
For a single earner at $100K filing jointly, take-home becomes $81,005 in Kansas and $80,090 in Missouri \u2014 a difference of $915. The gap remains similar regardless of filing status.
On paper, moving from Missouri to Kansas would save $915/year on a $100K salary, or $4,575 over 5 years. But relocation involves real costs: moving expenses, potentially buying/selling a home, changing jobs, and adjusting to a new community.
At $915/year, the tax difference alone likely isn’t worth relocating for. Other factors — job market, lifestyle, family — should drive the decision. The tax savings are a nice bonus if you’re already considering the move for other reasons.