Is it cheaper to buy or rent in Kansas City in 2026?

Andriy Blokhin // Shutterstock

If you’re deciding whether to buy or rent a home in Kansas City in 2026, you’re not alone. What used to be a simple answer has become more difficult as the economy continues to drift from historical norms.

Previously, it was common knowledge that buying was the more affordable choice, with long-term benefits generally outweighing the initial costs. But that assumption has shifted. After the pandemic threw housing markets off kilter, prices ballooned and mortgage rates climbed, straining affordability nationwide. Now, the typical buyer needs to earn far more than the typical renter to afford a median-priced home in many cities, leading the homeowner population to stall.

So what does buying vs. renting look like in Kansas City right now? To find out, Redfin Real Estate looked at the income required to afford a typical home over a typical apartment—called the “income premium.” For example, an income premium of 10% means a household needs to earn 10% more to buy than to rent, while a premium of -10% means renting is cheaper than buying.

Note: All data is a monthly average for the month of December 2025. Rental data comes from a partnership with Zillow; median income data comes from the U.S. Census.

Buying vs. renting: Kansas City

• Income premium to afford typical home over typical apartment: 56.0%
• Income needed to buy: $90,370
• Income needed to rent: $57,928
• Median sale price: $337,487
• Median rent price: $1,448
• Median household income: $91,843

Buying vs. renting: National

• Income premium to afford typical home over typical apartment: 46.3%
• Income needed to buy: $111,252
• Income needed to rent: $76,020
• Median sale price: $426,747
• Median rent price: $1,901
• Median household income: $86,185

This story was
produced by
Redfin Real Estate and reviewed and
distributed by Stacker.