Missouri's income tax tops out at 4.7%, but it gets there fast, and the first $1,313 of income is taxed at 0%, so the effective rate on a normal salary lands a bit below the headline.
Missouri also matches the generous federal standard deduction, which shields a big chunk of income. Here is how the graduated rate and that deduction play out on your paycheck. See your exact take-home with the free Missouri paycheck calculator.
How Missouri's income tax works
Missouri uses graduated brackets that climb in small steps to a 4.7% top rate (reached at about $8,900 of taxable income), after a standard deduction equal to the federal one (over $15,000 for a single filer). The first $1,313 is taxed at 0%. With a large deduction and a modest top rate, Missouri is a relatively light-tax state.
Missouri has been cutting its top rate over time (it was 4.95% a few years ago) and is scheduled to keep trimming it toward 4.5% if revenue targets are met.
Your take-home on a $65,000 salary in Missouri
Here is how a $65,000 salary breaks down for a single filer, using 2025 federal and FICA figures alongside Missouri's graduated rates topping out at 4.7%.
| Item | Annual |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $5,246 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | $4,973 |
| Missouri income tax | $2,174 |
| Take-home pay | $52,608 |
| Percent of gross kept | 80.9% |
On a $65,000 salary a single filer owes about $2,174 in Missouri income tax and keeps roughly $52,608, or 80.9% of gross. That take-home stretches well across most of Missouri, where housing in metros like Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield runs below the national average, though KC and St. Louis residents owe an extra 1% city earnings tax. Compare with Kansas.
Kansas City and St. Louis add a 1% earnings tax
Most of Missouri has no local income tax, but the two biggest cities do: Kansas City and St. Louis each levy a 1% earnings tax on residents and people who work there. If you live or work in either, add roughly $650 on a $65,000 salary to the state figure above.
Missouri exempts Social Security for most retirees and offers a public-pension exclusion, so retirement income is treated more gently than wages.
How to keep more of your Missouri paycheck
Because Missouri starts from a federal-style base, pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions reduce your Missouri and federal taxable income together (and the HSA avoids FICA), the cleanest way to push your take-home higher.