Missouri State Income Tax Guide (2026)
Missouri has a graduated income tax with rates up to 4.95% — moderate for the Midwest, with a relatively low top rate compared to coastal states.
Top State Rate
5.0%
$100k Take-Home
$75,417
/year (single)
State Tax on $100k
$3,763
single filer
Missouri Income Tax Brackets (2026)
| Marginal Rate | Taxable Income (Single Filer) |
|---|---|
| 1.5% | $0→$1,000 |
| 2% | $1,000→$2,000 |
| 2.5% | $2,000→$3,000 |
| 3% | $3,000→$4,000 |
| 3.5% | $4,000→$5,000 |
| 4% | $5,000→$6,000 |
| 4.5% | $6,000→$7,000 |
| 4.95% | $7,000→Above $7,000 |
Each rate applies only to income within that bracket. Your effective rate is the average across all brackets — meaningfully lower than your top marginal rate.
Brackets reflect the most recently published schedules. Some states inflation-index thresholds annually — specific 2026 amounts may shift slightly. Verify with your state's Department of Revenue before filing.
$100,000 Salary in Missouri — Full Tax Breakdown
| Category | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $100,000 | $8,333 |
| Federal Tax | −$13,170 | −$1,098 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | −$0.00 | −$0.00 |
| Missouri State Tax | −$3,763 | −$314 |
| Take-Home Pay | $75,417 | $6,285 |
Assumes single filing status, standard deduction, no 401(k) or HSA contributions. 2026 tax year.
Run your numbers through the right calculator
Salaried, freelance, bonus, overtime, or tips — pick the tool that matches your event.
Salary Calculator
Annual gross to take-home: federal + state + FICA + 401(k)/HSA modeling for all 50 states.
Calculate take-homeOvertime Calculator
Apply the 2025 OBBBA 'No Tax on Overtime' deduction (up to $12,500) and see real savings.
Calculate OT take-home1099 Tax Calculator
1099, sole prop, or LLC: self-employment tax (15.3%) plus quarterly estimates.
Calculate SE taxBonus Calculator
Year-end, sign-on, retention, or commission. Compare flat 22% vs aggregate withholding.
Calculate bonusThe 30-second version
- 1.Missouri has 8 progressive brackets from 1.5% to 4.95%. The top rate kicks in at just $7,000 of taxable income — so most professionals are effectively in the 4.95% bracket. Recently reduced from 5.4% (2022) and continues to phase down.
- 2.Kansas City and St. Louis levy a 1% earnings tax on residents AND non-resident workers. So a NJ-style commuter dynamic exists — Belleville IL workers in St. Louis owe the 1% earnings tax.
- 3.MO conforms to federal standard deduction ($15K single / $30K MFJ for 2026) — meaningful simplification.
- 4.SS exemption for filers under $85K single / $100K MFJ AGI — generous compared to many states.
- 5.Property tax averages ~0.97%. No estate tax. Reciprocity with no states (filing two-state returns required for cross-border workers).
Why you can trust these numbers
Numbers reflect 2026 IRS federal brackets, FICA caps, and current Missouri Department of Revenue progressive brackets. The calculator at the top reflects this. Kansas City and St. Louis 1% earnings tax is NOT modeled by the calculator — add it manually if you live or work in either city.
Sources: federal brackets + standard deduction from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32; state brackets verified against the Tax Foundation 2026 State Income Tax Rates compilation and the official Form MO-1040 Individual Income Tax Forms (MO Department of Revenue).
The 8-bracket structure — mostly theater above $7K
Missouri's 8-bracket structure looks complex but compresses quickly. The first 7 brackets each cover $1,000 of taxable income with rates rising 0.5% per bracket. Above $7,000, the 4.95% top rate applies to everything else. So a $50K filer pays $7K × bracket-by-bracket = ~$210 + 4.95% × $43K = $2,338 — effectively a flat 4.95% with a small subsidy on the first $7K.
MO recently reduced its top rate from 5.4% (2022) to 4.95% with a continuing downward trajectory if revenue triggers are met. The trajectory could reach 4.5% by 2030.
Kansas City and St. Louis levy a 1% earnings tax on wages, applicable to BOTH residents and non-residents working in the city. Suburban workers commuting to KC or STL offices owe the 1% on city workdays. This is filed via Form RD-109 (KC) or Form E-1 (STL) annually.
What you'll actually pay — two real-life scenarios
Two scenarios to anchor the math.
Illustrative — single filer, federal standard deduction, full-year MO residency, W-2 income. KC/STL earnings tax shown separately. Two-earner MFJ households pay more FICA than the calculator shows. Ballparks, not invoices.
Scenario 1: St. Louis healthcare professional, $90,000
| Federal income tax | ~$11,400 |
| Missouri state income tax (~$3,575) | ~$3,575 |
| St. Louis 1% earnings tax | ~$900 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | ~$6,900 |
| Total taxes | ~$22,775 |
| Annual take-home | ~$67,225 |
| Effective state + city rate | ~5.0% |
St. Louis BJC Healthcare / Mercy / SSM Health worker. Same role in IL: ~$3,725 IL tax + no city. MO's $3,575 + $900 STL = $4,475 — about $750 more than IL. The bigger benefit is cost of living: STL median home ~$200K vs Chicago ~$330K. Suburban St. Louis workers (Chesterfield, Kirkwood, Webster Groves) avoid the 1% earnings tax if they don't work in the city itself.
Scenario 2: Kansas City finance professional, $130,000
| Federal income tax | ~$20,200 |
| Missouri state income tax (~$5,550) | ~$5,550 |
| Kansas City 1% earnings tax | ~$1,300 |
| FICA | ~$9,950 |
| Total taxes | ~$37,000 |
| Annual take-home | ~$93,000 |
| Effective state + city rate | ~5.3% |
Kansas City BNSF, H&R Block HQ, Sprint legacy operations, Cerner-acquired-by-Oracle. The 1% KC earnings tax adds $1,300/year. Workers in KC suburbs (Lee's Summit, Liberty, Independence) avoid the city tax. The KC metro area straddles the MO-KS state line — KS-side workers (Overland Park, Lenexa) pay KS tax (5.7% top) instead of MO + KC, often resulting in similar total burden.
Property tax + the city earnings tax map
MO property tax effective rates by county (approximate): Jackson (KC area) 1.10–1.30%, St. Louis County 1.20–1.45% (no city tax in St. Louis County, only in St. Louis City), St. Louis City 1.40–1.60%, St. Charles 1.10–1.30%, Greene (Springfield) 0.90–1.10%, Boone (Columbia) 0.90–1.10%. Statewide average ~0.97%. Moderate by national standards.
City earnings tax: only Kansas City (1%) and St. Louis (1%) levy a wage-source earnings tax. All other MO municipalities have no local income tax. Suburban-vs-city living is a meaningful tax decision in both metros — saves ~$500–$2,000/year for middle-and-upper-income earners.
Things financially comfortable Missourians actually do
- Max your 401(k) ($24,500 in 2026) — pre-tax for federal AND MO.
- Max your HSA if eligible — pre-tax for federal AND MO.
- Backdoor Roth IRA — fully legal.
- Mega backdoor Roth if your employer's 401(k) plan allows.
- MOST 529 (Missouri Education Savings Program) — MO offers a state-tax deduction up to $8,000 single / $16,000 MFJ per beneficiary annually. Among the most generous 529 deductions in the country. At MO's 4.95% bracket, that's ~$400–$800/year per kid in MO tax saved.
- Public pension exemption — Missouri exempts most public pensions (federal, state, local) for retirees who meet income thresholds. SS also exempt for filers under $85K single / $100K MFJ.
- Kansas City / St. Louis earnings tax planning — if you're flexible on residence, suburban living avoids the 1% earnings tax for non-city workers. Hybrid commuters can track workdays in vs out of city limits.
- Long-term capital gains — MO follows federal LTCG treatment in most cases (no separate state-level preferential rates), so federal LTCG rules dominate planning.
Real questions people actually ask
Q: How does the KC and STL earnings tax work?
Kansas City and St. Louis (the city itself, not the county) levy a 1% earnings tax on wages earned by residents AND on wages earned by non-residents for work performed in the city. Filed via separate forms (KC: Form RD-109; STL: Form E-1) annually. Many KC and STL employers withhold the earnings tax automatically — verify on your pay stub. Suburban residents who only work in the city part-time should track workdays carefully and reconcile at filing.
Q: Will Missouri keep cutting its income tax rate?
Possibly. The 2022 tax reform set the top rate at 4.95% (down from 5.4%) with provisions for further reductions if revenue exceeds specific triggers. The trajectory could reach 4.5% by ~2030 in normal economic conditions. Each cut requires meeting the prior-year revenue trigger.
Q: Does MO tax retirement income?
Mostly no for SS-eligible retirees. SS exempt for filers under $85K single / $100K MFJ AGI. Public pensions (federal civil service, military, state, local) substantially exempt for retirees meeting income limits. Private pensions and IRA/401(k) distributions: taxed at MO regular rates with a $6,000+ pension exclusion for filers 60+ meeting income thresholds. Net effect: MO is meaningfully retirement-friendly, especially for SS + public pension recipients.
Q: I work in St. Louis but live in Belleville IL. What do I owe?
Both states. IL taxes you as a resident on worldwide income (4.95% flat). MO taxes you as a non-resident on MO-source income (your STL wages — likely 4.95% top bracket effectively). St. Louis city earnings tax (1%) applies to your STL workdays. IL credits your MO tax paid on the same income (capped at IL tax that would have applied). Net effect: you pay roughly MO + STL combined (5.95%) on STL wages, with IL crediting most of the MO portion. The St. Louis earnings tax is NOT credited by IL — it's a real additional cost. File 3 returns annually.
Our honest opinion (which is just an opinion)
Missouri is a moderate-tax Midwest state with a competitive flat-ish state rate, generous SS exemption, very generous MOST 529 deduction, and the meaningful KC/STL city earnings tax wrinkle. The combined burden for typical professionals is moderate — comparable to OH (with city tax) and slightly above IN.
The case for Missouri:
- Top rate 4.95% with downward trajectory
- MOST 529 deduction is among the most generous nationally
- SS exempt for most retirees
- Public pension exemption substantial
- Cost of living significantly cheaper than coastal alternatives
- Diverse economy: agriculture, transportation/logistics (BNSF), healthcare, finance, brewing
- No state estate or inheritance tax
The case against:
- KC and STL 1% earnings tax adds for city workers
- No state-to-state reciprocity (cross-border workers file two returns)
- Property tax slightly above national average in some metros
- Public school funding varies significantly by district
Honest take: MO is competitive — moderate rate, friendly retirement structure, exceptional 529 program. Suburban living avoids the city earnings tax. For SS-recipient retirees: MO is genuinely friendly. For Chicago-area NJ-style commuters from IL into STL: the dual-state filing is annoying but the post-tax math usually works out reasonably.
What now
Run your numbers in the calculator above. Add 1% KC or STL earnings tax if you live or work in either city. If you have kids, MAX MOST 529 contributions to capture the $8K/$16K deduction (one of the best 529 deals nationally). The biggest tax mistake most Missourians make isn't paying too much state tax — it's missing the MOST 529 deduction or the city earnings tax surprise at filing.
Sources & further reading
- →Missouri Department of Revenue — official tax tables
- →MOST 529 Plan
- →Kansas City Earnings Tax (Form RD-109)
- →St. Louis City Earnings Tax (Form E-1)
- →Tax Foundation — annual state-and-local tax burden rankings
- →U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
- →IRS — federal brackets, contribution limits, Publication 17
A few honest notes
- Not personal tax, legal, or financial advice. Verify with a licensed CPA, EA, or tax attorney before making meaningful decisions.
- Tax law changes. This guide reflects 2026 IRS schedules and current MO Department of Revenue rules. The flat-tax phase-down is contingent on annual revenue triggers.
- KC and STL earnings tax rules are administered by the respective cities — verify forms and filing requirements.
- Property tax estimates vary by county and city — check your local assessor's website.
- The numbers are illustrative — scenarios don't include every credit, deduction, or wrinkle that might apply to you.
- The calculator at the top doesn't model city earnings tax — add it manually if applicable.
- No client relationship is created by reading this page.
Last updated April 2026 with 2026 IRS schedules and current MO Department of Revenue guidance.
Calculate Your Missouri Take-Home Pay
Enter your exact salary, filing status, 401(k), and HSA to see your personalized result.
Open Full CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about your taxes and our calculator.
Compare Two States
See how income tax, take-home pay, and total tax burden differ between any two US states side by side.
State 1
State 2
Adjust filing status, 401(k), dependents for your exact 2026 take-home in Missouri.
Popular Salaries in Missouri
Compare Missouri to Other States
Salary by Profession in Missouri
Explore salary and take-home pay for popular professions in Missouri.