How much do you need to make to live in Kansas? See the state’s living wage
The minimum wage in Kansas is about a third of what a single person without children would need to make to live comfortably in the state, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s 2025 living wage calculator.
The minimum wage in Kansas sits at $7.25, while a living wage for a single person sits at $21.06.
Kansas’ minimum wage aligns with the federal minimum wage, but other states set their own minimum wage requirements. Kansas is one of only 13 states that still has the same minimum wage requirements as federal law.
Here’s a look at what living wages in Kansas look like for different households:
- Single person with one child: $34.82
- Single person with two children: $42.69
- Single person with three children: $52.97
- Two adults with no children: $29.50 (one working); $14.75 (two working)
- Two adults with one children: $35.18 (one working); $19.98 (two working)
- Two adults with two children: $39.14 (one working); $24.12 (two working)
- Two adults with three children: $44.79 (one working); $28.34 (two working)
The cost of living in Kansas has increased in 2025.
In 2024, MIT reported the average cost of food for a single person in Kansas was $4,233. In 2025, MIT reported the annual cost to be $4,287. The annual cost of housing in 2024 was $9,670, while in 2025 it is reported to be $10,063.
Looking at the cost of necessities in Kansas, a single person needs to make an annual salary of $43,797, which is about $1,400 more than MIT reported in 2024, which was $42,337.
According to 2023 U.S. Census data, the median income in Kansas is $72,639. Just over 11 of Kansans lived in poverty.
About 77% of people in Kansas made more than $50,000 a year in 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau says.
How much does it cost to live in Wichita?
A single person without children would need to make $19.79 per hour in order to live in Wichita, according to MIT.
Looking at the average cost of basic needs, MIT reports that a single person in Wichita needs to reach an annual salary of $41,156 before taxes to live in the city.
Here’s a look at what different households need to make in order to live in Wichita:
- Single person with one child: $33.93
- Single person with two children: $41.55
- Single person with three children: $51.07
- Two adults with no children: $28.28 (one working); $14.14 (two working)
- Two adults with one children: $34.23 (one working); $19.47 (two working)
- Two adults with two children: $38.09 (one working); $23.57 (two working)
- Two adults with three children: $43.38 (one working); $27.36 (two working)
