State rental market reference · Data updated October 18, 2026
Missouri rental market for DSCR investors: rent, taxes and insurance by county
What a rental in Missouri rents for, what it costs to carry, and whether it stays rented, from official data for all 115 counties. Read it before you price a deal here.
Missouri at a glance
What does a rental rent for?
$1,349 a month
HUD's FY2027 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent where most of Missouri's renters live, from $962 (Cole County) to $1,546 (Caldwell County). It is the government figure for a modest 2-bedroom unit, utilities included, not the rent for a house.
What will property taxes cost?
0.85% of value a year
Homeowners in Missouri pay a median $1,948 a year on a median home value of $230,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024). A rental can be taxed at a different rate than an owner's home; the local tax bill is the real number.
What will insurance cost?
$1,480 a year
The median that homeowners with a mortgage in Missouri report paying for homeowners insurance (Census ACS 2020–2024). It is not a landlord quote: a rental policy usually costs more, and flood cover is extra.
Will it stay rented?
5.0% rental vacancy
Share of Missouri's rental homes vacant and for rent (Census ACS 2020–2024), across 799,814 renter households. Lower means rentals fill faster.
Are jobs growing?
Employment up 0.9% in a year
Employed residents in August 2026 against a year earlier; unemployment 3.9% (BLS, not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month a year apart).
Is new supply coming?
17,474 homes permitted in 2025
About 7.0 new homes per 1,000 households; 65% single-family (Census Building Permits Survey). More new homes means more competition for tenants and buyers.
How often does it flood?
15,935 flood claims since 2005
National Flood Insurance Program claims on properties in Missouri since 2005, $566.1 million paid (FEMA). Claims show where water has reached insured buildings; they are not a flood map, so check the FEMA flood zone for the address.
What it means for a DSCR rental in Missouri
A lender's DSCR is the monthly rent divided by the full monthly payment: principal, interest, property taxes, insurance and any HOA dues. Many lenders accept 1.00x; 1.20x leaves a cushion.
Take a home at Missouri's median value of $230,300, bought with 25% down on a 7.5% 30-year loan, with the state's typical tax rate and insurance:
- Principal and interest ($172,725 loan)
- $1,208
- Property taxes
- $163
- Insurance
- $123
- Full monthly payment
- $1,494
- Rent for a 1.20x DSCR
- $1,790 a month
The government 2-bedroom figure where most of Missouri's renters live is $1,349 a month, below the $1,790 that home needs. A house usually rents for more than a 2-bedroom unit, so price the house you are looking at with its own rent. The last column of the table below gives the same figure for each county.
Rules and costs a landlord faces in Missouri
Each line quotes the official source it comes from and the date it was last checked. These are general rules, not legal advice; local rules can add to them.
- How large a security deposit can you take?
Up to 2 months' rent.
A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit in excess of two months' rent.
Missouri Revisor of Statutes (RSMo 535.300.1), checked October 19, 2026
- How fast must the deposit come back?
Within 30 days after the tenancy ends.
Within thirty days after the date of termination of the tenancy, the landlord shall: (1) Return the full amount of the security deposit; or (2) Furnish to the tenant a written itemized list of the damages...
Missouri Revisor of Statutes (RSMo 535.300.3), checked October 19, 2026
- Can rents be capped?
State law bars cities and counties from capping rents.
No county or city, or county or city with a charter form of government may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution which regulates the amount of rent to be charged for privately-owned, single-family, or multiple-unit residential or commercial rental property.
Missouri Revisor of Statutes (RSMo 441.043.1), checked October 19, 2026
- Is a rental taxed like the owner's home?
A rental does not get the owner's homestead benefit.
The general assembly may provide that a portion of the assessed valuation of real property actually occupied by the owner or owners thereof as a homestead, be exempted from the payment of taxes thereon
Missouri Constitution, Art. X, Sec. 6(a) — Missouri Revisor of Statutes, checked October 19, 2026
Market hubs in Missouri
Each hub makes a monthly call on the market: the rent, the price that still works at 1.20x, and where to start.
Missouri by county
All 115 counties, most renter households first. "Rent for 1.20x" is the monthly rent a home at that county's median value needs on the example loan above. A dash means the source publishes no reliable figure there.
| County | 2-bed FMR | Property tax | Insurance / yr | Rental vacancy | Jobs, 1 yr | Permits | Flood claims | Rent for 1.20x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | $1,349 | 1.20% | $1,640 | 5.0% | +0.1% | 957 | 2,973 | $2,240 |
| Jackson County | $1,546 | 1.12% | $1,620 | 4.0% | +0.4% | 4,036 | 337 | $1,870 |
| St. Louis city | $1,349 | 1.03% | $1,430 | 7.7% | +0.1% | 272 | 110 | $1,590 |
| Greene County | $1,113 | 0.71% | $1,410 | 3.3% | +1.5% | 966 | 124 | $1,690 |
| Boone County | $1,076 | 0.85% | $1,460 | 4.7% | +1.8% | 787 | 52 | $2,090 |
| St. Charles County | $1,349 | 1.08% | $1,640 | 6.2% | +0.2% | 1,661 | 2,000 | $2,530 |
| Clay County | $1,546 | 1.07% | $1,660 | 4.1% | +0.4% | 297 | 177 | $2,200 |
| Jasper County | $1,153 | 0.72% | $1,380 | 2.3% | +1.7% | 545 | 105 | $1,310 |
| Jefferson County | $1,349 | 0.80% | $1,510 | 1.8% | +0.1% | 617 | 1,105 | $1,830 |
| Platte County | $1,546 | 1.05% | $1,820 | 6.2% | +0.5% | 425 | 101 | $2,720 |
| Buchanan County | $1,101 | 0.77% | $1,300 | 6.2% | +1.2% | 52 | 327 | $1,300 |
| Cape Girardeau County | $1,012 | 0.64% | $1,470 | 7.5% | +0.9% | 99 | 146 | $1,680 |
| Cass County | $1,546 | 0.86% | $1,750 | 4.5% | +1.1% | 487 | 133 | $2,270 |
| Franklin County | $1,349 | 0.80% | $1,460 | 6.4% | +0.5% | 794 | 589 | $1,760 |
| Cole County | $962 | 0.77% | $1,440 | 6.2% | +1.3% | 154 | 131 | $1,770 |
| Christian County | $1,113 | 0.70% | $1,520 | 1.8% | +1.7% | 495 | 72 | $2,070 |
| St. Francois County | $988 | 0.70% | $1,210 | 5.2% | -0.2% | 144 | 54 | $1,300 |
| Johnson County | $1,033 | 0.66% | $1,410 | 2.3% | +0.7% | 113 | 36 | $1,780 |
| Taney County | $1,126 | 0.55% | $1,340 | 3.1% | +1.0% | 863 | 383 | $1,630 |
| Phelps County | $973 | 0.64% | $1,420 | 4.5% | +1.4% | 101 | 177 | $1,570 |
| Pulaski County | $1,175 | 0.61% | $1,410 | 10.8% | -4.4% | 99 | 208 | $1,450 |
| Butler County | $962 | 0.67% | $1,220 | 7.8% | +0.8% | 45 | 421 | $1,130 |
| Pettis County | $1,068 | 0.78% | $1,200 | 8.7% | +2.0% | 117 | 20 | $1,300 |
| Newton County | $1,153 | 0.63% | $1,520 | 4.5% | +2.5% | 56 | 184 | $1,470 |
| Lincoln County | $1,349 | 0.74% | $1,380 | 1.5% | +0.4% | 252 | 961 | $1,860 |
Show the other 90 counties
| County | 2-bed FMR | Property tax | Insurance / yr | Rental vacancy | Jobs, 1 yr | Permits | Flood claims | Rent for 1.20x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County | $962 | 0.50% | $1,230 | 3.1% | +0.4% | 67 | 58 | $1,300 |
| Laclede County | $998 | 0.60% | $1,330 | 10.5% | +3.7% | 4 | 23 | $1,290 |
| Scott County | $1,027 | 0.62% | $1,330 | 6.5% | +0.7% | 69 | 217 | $1,200 |
| Dunklin County | $962 | 0.70% | $1,170 | 7.1% | -1.6% | 30 | 33 | $800 |
| Callaway County | $1,123 | 0.77% | $1,280 | 3.9% | +2.0% | 46 | 46 | $1,550 |
| Lawrence County | $976 | 0.59% | $1,300 | 9.0% | +3.2% | 149 | 30 | $1,340 |
| Adair County | $962 | 0.77% | $1,110 | 7.9% | +0.4% | 9 | 14 | $1,280 |
| Marion County | $1,060 | 0.82% | $1,200 | 7.0% | +0.7% | 41 | 140 | $1,270 |
| Polk County | $962 | 0.55% | $1,390 | 5.0% | +3.7% | 61 | 9 | $1,550 |
| Stoddard County | $962 | 0.66% | $1,240 | 6.7% | +2.7% | 8 | 88 | $1,120 |
| Nodaway County | $991 | 0.77% | $1,320 | 5.0% | +5.2% | 53 | 3 | $1,390 |
| Webster County | $1,113 | 0.52% | $1,440 | 4.2% | +2.5% | 226 | 12 | $1,700 |
| Camden County | $1,033 | 0.47% | $1,430 | 1.7% | +1.6% | 419 | 80 | $2,210 |
| Lafayette County | $1,546 | 0.73% | $1,390 | 5.7% | +1.5% | 105 | 3 | $1,660 |
| Barry County | $962 | 0.53% | $1,390 | 4.6% | +2.7% | 70 | 31 | $1,420 |
| Crawford County | $962 | 0.56% | $1,260 | 2.6% | +2.0% | 15 | 100 | $1,310 |
| Pemiscot County | $962 | 0.95% | $1,320 | 3.5% | +1.9% | 17 | 29 | $830 |
| McDonald County | $962 | 0.46% | $1,230 | 2.6% | +3.6% | 18 | 381 | $1,170 |
| Warren County | $1,349 | 0.69% | $1,450 | 5.2% | +0.4% | 360 | 8 | $1,960 |
| Randolph County | $962 | 0.78% | $1,250 | 2.3% | +2.0% | 89 | 1 | $1,250 |
| Audrain County | $962 | 0.79% | $1,060 | 6.9% | +2.1% | 28 | 9 | $1,120 |
| Miller County | $973 | 0.57% | $1,310 | 2.6% | +1.5% | 86 | 13 | $1,450 |
| Saline County | $962 | 0.78% | $1,260 | 1.5% | +3.7% | 23 | 3 | $1,190 |
| New Madrid County | $962 | 0.73% | $1,170 | 2.3% | +2.3% | 18 | 150 | $900 |
| Henry County | $962 | 0.81% | $1,380 | 2.6% | +1.1% | 18 | 0 | $1,280 |
| Stone County | $1,032 | 0.47% | $1,530 | 3.6% | +0.2% | 212 | 68 | $1,840 |
| Vernon County | $994 | 0.67% | $1,170 | 3.3% | +3.0% | 15 | 4 | $1,220 |
| Texas County | $962 | 0.49% | $980 | 3.1% | +0.4% | 4 | 5 | $1,090 |
| Ray County | $1,546 | 0.80% | $1,370 | 2.3% | +1.2% | 66 | 15 | $1,550 |
| Clinton County | $1,546 | 0.81% | $1,460 | 3.3% | +1.4% | 82 | 6 | $1,760 |
| Washington County | $962 | 0.56% | $1,300 | 5.0% | +1.5% | 1 | 8 | $1,020 |
| Morgan County | $962 | 0.56% | $1,190 | 5.4% | +6.7% | 23 | 15 | $1,450 |
| Perry County | $1,045 | 0.74% | $1,190 | 9.4% | -0.8% | 39 | 18 | $1,440 |
| Pike County | $1,025 | 0.67% | $1,190 | 0.5% | +2.5% | 20 | 506 | $1,140 |
| Mississippi County | $962 | 0.81% | $1,120 | 5.6% | +3.7% | 10 | 133 | $890 |
| Wright County | $962 | 0.40% | $1,140 | 3.4% | +3.8% | 31 | 7 | $1,190 |
| Dallas County | $962 | 0.40% | $1,140 | 4.4% | +2.8% | 13 | 3 | $1,390 |
| Andrew County | $1,101 | 0.73% | $1,390 | 2.9% | +2.1% | 3 | 135 | $1,650 |
| Livingston County | $962 | 0.81% | $1,140 | 5.5% | -0.1% | 31 | 16 | $1,160 |
| Bates County | $1,098 | 0.61% | $1,360 | 0.6% | +4.1% | 18 | 22 | $1,320 |
| Cooper County | $962 | 0.66% | $1,310 | 7.3% | +3.9% | 26 | 1 | $1,550 |
| Cedar County | $962 | 0.62% | $1,350 | 8.4% | +3.9% | 8 | 0 | $1,300 |
| Barton County | $962 | 0.71% | $1,280 | 9.7% | +3.4% | 46 | 8 | $1,080 |
| Macon County | $1,018 | 0.69% | $1,080 | 6.1% | +2.8% | 13 | 1 | $1,150 |
| Benton County | $1,003 | 0.53% | $1,240 | 4.7% | +2.2% | 4 | 8 | $1,340 |
| Dent County | $998 | 0.52% | $1,280 | 4.4% | +0.8% | 3 | 2 | $1,270 |
| Madison County | $1,063 | 0.71% | $1,220 | 4.7% | +0.7% | 40 | 14 | $1,240 |
| Montgomery County | $962 | 0.76% | $1,330 | 1.7% | +4.4% | 57 | 8 | $1,390 |
| Ste. Genevieve County | $974 | 0.63% | $1,280 | 0.5% | +0.4% | 42 | 31 | $1,670 |
| Moniteau County | $963 | 0.68% | $1,200 | 1.6% | +3.1% | 6 | 3 | $1,390 |
| Grundy County | $962 | 1.00% | $1,240 | 6.9% | +7.0% | 3 | 3 | $940 |
| Gasconade County | $962 | 0.73% | $1,200 | 4.1% | +1.4% | 23 | 165 | $1,380 |
| Wayne County | $962 | 0.52% | $1,070 | 2.0% | +4.1% | – | 103 | $840 |
| Osage County | $962 | 0.59% | $1,220 | 13.2% | +3.2% | 0 | 81 | $1,660 |
| DeKalb County | $1,101 | 0.76% | $1,540 | 8.7% | +4.1% | 1 | 3 | $1,350 |
| Linn County | $962 | 0.72% | $770 | 6.9% | +3.1% | 0 | 11 | $940 |
| Carroll County | $962 | 0.79% | $1,060 | 0.5% | +6.0% | 18 | 69 | $940 |
| St. Clair County | $962 | 0.61% | $1,510 | 1.1% | +4.1% | 3 | 0 | $1,240 |
| Iron County | $962 | 0.68% | $1,450 | 3.4% | +1.4% | 12 | 12 | $980 |
| Harrison County | $962 | 0.89% | $1,130 | 5.1% | +2.1% | 4 | 4 | $900 |
| Douglas County | $962 | 0.44% | $1,230 | 1.0% | +2.3% | 24 | 0 | $1,260 |
| Monroe County | $962 | 0.80% | $1,080 | 4.9% | +2.1% | 31 | 8 | $1,170 |
| Oregon County | $962 | 0.55% | $1,240 | 4.5% | +7.9% | 0 | 5 | $900 |
| Ripley County | $962 | 0.46% | $1,200 | 8.9% | +3.6% | 0 | 174 | $930 |
| Caldwell County | $1,546 | 0.80% | $1,620 | 1.6% | +2.8% | 8 | 0 | $1,340 |
| Carter County | $962 | 0.42% | $1,230 | 1.1% | +3.3% | 5 | 78 | $1,190 |
| Howard County | $990 | 0.77% | $1,360 | 0.0% | +3.8% | 12 | 16 | $1,260 |
| Lewis County | $962 | 0.71% | $1,120 | 13.6% | +0.3% | 4 | 92 | $1,020 |
| Maries County | $962 | 0.51% | $1,270 | 4.6% | +3.4% | 4 | 80 | $1,620 |
| Dade County | $962 | 0.62% | $1,130 | 6.6% | +4.8% | 0 | 0 | $1,290 |
| Bollinger County | $1,012 | 0.58% | $1,210 | 10.1% | +2.0% | 0 | 58 | $1,360 |
| Ozark County | $962 | 0.44% | $1,180 | 5.3% | +2.8% | 6 | 5 | $1,250 |
| Hickory County | $962 | 0.41% | $980 | 3.7% | +3.2% | – | 0 | $1,280 |
| Daviess County | $962 | 0.66% | $1,090 | 19.2% | +6.8% | 5 | 4 | $1,230 |
| Gentry County | $962 | 0.93% | $1,250 | 9.9% | +4.5% | 7 | 2 | $1,090 |
| Shannon County | $962 | 0.43% | $1,340 | 2.7% | +1.7% | 0 | 12 | $1,190 |
| Ralls County | $969 | 0.73% | $1,340 | 14.3% | +3.9% | 3 | 38 | $1,320 |
| Shelby County | $962 | 0.86% | $860 | 8.7% | +10.1% | 3 | 1 | $800 |
| Atchison County | $962 | 1.16% | $1,280 | 7.0% | +10.6% | 0 | 89 | $920 |
| Clark County | $962 | 0.87% | $1,250 | 0.0% | +4.5% | 15 | 73 | $1,060 |
| Sullivan County | $962 | 0.69% | $930 | 21.4% | -1.5% | 0 | 0 | $900 |
| Reynolds County | $962 | 0.37% | $1,130 | 1.7% | +3.5% | 0 | 79 | $1,120 |
| Chariton County | $962 | 0.64% | $1,070 | 2.6% | +6.2% | 2 | 24 | $1,220 |
| Holt County | $962 | 0.70% | $1,260 | 5.3% | +4.5% | 1 | 1,055 | $1,090 |
| Putnam County | $962 | 1.01% | $1,120 | 5.3% | +4.0% | 0 | 1 | $980 |
| Scotland County | $962 | 0.79% | $1,030 | 11.1% | +5.5% | 0 | 0 | $1,230 |
| Schuyler County | $979 | 0.79% | $1,060 | 11.4% | +14.1% | 1 | 0 | $1,080 |
| Mercer County | $973 | 0.96% | $1,180 | 6.4% | +11.7% | 1 | 0 | $880 |
| Knox County | $962 | 0.83% | $1,080 | 10.5% | +4.3% | 2 | 3 | $830 |
| Worth County | $1,003 | 0.82% | $800 | – | +12.0% | 0 | 0 | $770 |
Where these numbers come from
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents, in effect from October 1, 2026: the rent and utilities of a modest 2-bedroom unit, set for housing vouchers. It is not a house rent. Where HUD publishes by town (New England), the county shows the range. HUD Fair Market Rents
- Property tax, insurance, vacancy and home value
- Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. Property tax is the median tax paid divided by the median home value of owner-occupied homes. Insurance is the median that owners with a mortgage report paying, not a landlord quote. Rental vacancy is homes vacant for rent divided by all rental homes. Figures from too few homes are left blank. American Community Survey
- Jobs
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics: employed residents in August 2026 against the same month a year earlier, not seasonally adjusted. BLS LAUS
- Permits
- Census Building Permits Survey: new housing units authorized in 2025, all building sizes. Building Permits Survey
- Flood claims
- FEMA National Flood Insurance Program claims with a loss in 2005 or later, and the net amount paid. Only insured buildings appear. Check a flood zone
These are screening figures for comparing places, not a quote, an appraisal or a loan offer. Missouri total flood payments since 2005: $566.1 million.