To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Missouri needs to pay from $19.98 an hour in Howard County to $42.47 in St. Charles County, before taxes. The middle county is Ste. Genevieve County at $22.62.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Adair County | $23.27/hr | $770/mo |
| Andrew County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
| Atchison County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Audrain County | $21.46/hr | $715/mo |
| Barry County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Barton County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Bates County | $24.59/hr | $810/mo |
| Benton County | $22.62/hr | $750/mo |
| Bollinger County | $23.44/hr | $775/mo |
| Boone County | $23.27/hr | $770/mo |
| Buchanan County | $25.26/hr | $830/mo |
| Butler County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Caldwell County | $23.60/hr | $780/mo |
| Callaway County | $25.09/hr | $825/mo |
| Camden County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
| Cape Girardeau County | $23.27/hr | $770/mo |
| Carroll County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Carter County | $21.79/hr | $725/mo |
| Cass County | $35.26/hr | $1,130/mo |
| Cedar County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Chariton County | $21.63/hr | $720/mo |
| Christian County | $24.59/hr | $810/mo |
| Clark County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Clay County | $40.95/hr | $1,280/mo |
| Clinton County | $30.55/hr | $990/mo |
| Cole County | $23.27/hr | $770/mo |
| Cooper County | $20.97/hr | $700/mo |
| Crawford County | $22.62/hr | $750/mo |
| Dade County | $22.78/hr | $755/mo |
| Dallas County | $24.26/hr | $800/mo |
| Daviess County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| DeKalb County | $23.60/hr | $780/mo |
| Dent County | $22.29/hr | $740/mo |
| Douglas County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Dunklin County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Franklin County | $27.58/hr | $900/mo |
| Gasconade County | $22.29/hr | $740/mo |
| Gentry County | $22.45/hr | $745/mo |
| Greene County | $28.24/hr | $920/mo |
| Grundy County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Harrison County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Henry County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Hickory County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Holt County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Howard County | $19.98/hr | $670/mo |
| Howell County | $20.64/hr | $690/mo |
| Iron County | $22.94/hr | $760/mo |
| Jackson County | $38.67/hr | $1,220/mo |
| Jasper County | $28.57/hr | $930/mo |
| Jefferson County | $28.90/hr | $940/mo |
| Johnson County | $22.12/hr | $735/mo |
| Knox County | $21.46/hr | $715/mo |
| Laclede County | $22.78/hr | $755/mo |
| Lafayette County | $27.74/hr | $905/mo |
| Lawrence County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
| Lewis County | $22.12/hr | $735/mo |
| Lincoln County | $27.91/hr | $910/mo |
| Linn County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Livingston County | $21.46/hr | $715/mo |
| Macon County | $21.63/hr | $720/mo |
| Madison County | $23.70/hr | $783/mo |
| Maries County | $23.27/hr | $770/mo |
| Marion County | $22.62/hr | $750/mo |
| McDonald County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Mercer County | $21.53/hr | $717/mo |
| Miller County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Mississippi County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Moniteau County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Monroe County | $22.78/hr | $755/mo |
| Montgomery County | $22.12/hr | $735/mo |
| Morgan County | $23.60/hr | $780/mo |
| New Madrid County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Newton County | $24.26/hr | $800/mo |
| Nodaway County | $23.27/hr | $770/mo |
| Oregon County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Osage County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Ozark County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Pemiscot County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Perry County | $22.29/hr | $740/mo |
| Pettis County | $22.94/hr | $760/mo |
| Phelps County | $23.60/hr | $780/mo |
| Pike County | $22.78/hr | $755/mo |
| Platte County | $37.15/hr | $1,180/mo |
| Polk County | $23.60/hr | $780/mo |
| Pulaski County | $24.76/hr | $815/mo |
| Putnam County | $22.94/hr | $760/mo |
| Ralls County | $21.63/hr | $720/mo |
| Randolph County | $21.63/hr | $720/mo |
| Ray County | $30.22/hr | $980/mo |
| Reynolds County | $21.79/hr | $725/mo |
| Ripley County | $21.79/hr | $725/mo |
| Saline County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Schuyler County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
| Scotland County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Scott County | $22.94/hr | $760/mo |
| Shannon County | $20.64/hr | $690/mo |
| Shelby County | $22.45/hr | $745/mo |
| St. Charles County | $42.47/hr | $1,320/mo |
| St. Clair County | $21.46/hr | $715/mo |
| St. Francois County | $22.62/hr | $750/mo |
| St. Louis city | $31.37/hr | $1,015/mo |
| St. Louis County | $35.63/hr | $1,140/mo |
| Ste. Genevieve County | $22.62/hr | $750/mo |
| Stoddard County | $20.31/hr | $680/mo |
| Stone County | $23.44/hr | $775/mo |
| Sullivan County | $22.45/hr | $745/mo |
| Sullivan part | $32.99/hr | $1,064/mo |
| Taney County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
| Texas County | $20.31/hr | $680/mo |
| Vernon County | $21.96/hr | $730/mo |
| Warren County | $29.23/hr | $950/mo |
| Washington County | $22.94/hr | $760/mo |
| Wayne County | $21.30/hr | $710/mo |
| Webster County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
| Worth County | $22.29/hr | $740/mo |
| Wright County | $23.93/hr | $790/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?