Missouri Salary After Taxes

Missouri tax rules

How Missouri taxes your salary in 2026

Missouri has eight income tax brackets, but they are so compressed — all within the first $8,911 of taxable income — that the top rate of 4.7% applies to virtually all full-time workers. Missouri also conforms to the federal standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married), giving substantial relief at the base.

Missouri 2026 income tax brackets

Missouri uses the federal standard deduction ($16,100 single). The six middle brackets from 2% to 4.5% cover such a narrow range that the 4.7% top rate dominates for all full-time earners.

Kansas City and St. Louis: the 1% earnings tax

Both Kansas City and St. Louis levy a 1% earnings tax on all wages earned within city limits. It applies whether you live there or not — commuters who work inside the city pay it. Residents of either city also pay 1% on all earnings, regardless of where they work. This tax is not included in the calculator above.

On a $65,000 salary, the KC or StL earnings tax adds $650 per year. Combined with the state rate, a Kansas City worker pays an effective income tax (state + local) of about 4.1% before federal taxes enter the picture.

Your Missouri salary at three income levels

Single filer, federal standard deduction ($16,100), no pre-tax contributions. Excludes KC/StL earnings tax.

Single filer, standard deduction, 2026 rates. No pre-tax contributions or local taxes included.

Practical guide to the KC and St. Louis earnings tax

If you work in Kansas City or St. Louis, here is what to expect on your paycheck. Your employer withholds the 1% earnings tax automatically, just like federal and state taxes. On a $65,000 salary paid biweekly (26 paychecks), that is about $25 per paycheck — roughly $650 per year.

The earnings tax applies to all compensation including bonuses, commissions and overtime. It does not apply to investment income, rental income or retirement distributions. If you are self-employed and work within KC or StL city limits, you are responsible for paying the tax directly on your annual return.

Both cities periodically put the earnings tax up for voter renewal. Kansas City voters most recently renewed theirs in 2021. If either city ever votes to repeal it, the change would take effect on a specified future date, giving employers time to adjust withholding.

Missouri's rate cut trajectory

Missouri has been gradually cutting its top rate over the past several years, from 5.3% to the current 4.7%. These reductions have been driven by a combination of legislation and automatic triggers tied to state revenue growth. If revenue continues to meet thresholds, the top rate could fall further, though no specific target has been legislated. For now, 4.7% is the rate you should plan around.

The compressed bracket structure (all eight brackets within $8,911 of taxable income) means that rate cuts benefit all full-time workers roughly equally, because almost everyone already pays the top rate on the bulk of their income.

Missouri's combination of moderate rates and the federal standard deduction makes it competitive for take-home pay. At $65,000, the effective state rate (after the $16,100 standard deduction) works out to about 3.1% of gross income. Only states with flat rates below 3% or no income tax at all deliver a smaller state tax bill at this salary level. Outside of Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri workers face no local income tax layer, making their paycheck calculation straightforward.

Missouri compared to its neighbors

Arkansas has a top rate of 3.9% (lower). Louisiana charges a flat 3%. Illinois charges a flat 4.95%. On a $65,000 salary, Missouri's take-home is competitive with most of its neighbors, especially when you factor in the federal standard deduction conformity and the absence of local taxes outside KC and StL.