Convert your annual salary to hourly, daily, weekly, biweekly, and monthly pay in Saint Louis, and compare it to the local minimum wage and MIT living wage for 2026.
Last updated: May 2026 · Data: MIT Living Wage Calculator, C2ER, U.S. Census, BLS, IRS, state and city sources
Saint Louis minimum wage: $12.30/hour | Living wage: $19.00/hour
Median household income in Saint Louis is about $52,000. The applicable minimum wage is $12.30/hour, and the MIT living wage for a single adult is about $19.00/hour. Use the comparisons below to see where a given salary lands.
| Pay Benchmark (Saint Louis) | Hourly | Annual (full-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Applicable minimum wage | $12.30 | $25,584 |
| MIT living wage (single adult) | $19.00 | $39,520 |
| Median household income | $25.00 | $52,000 |
| Standard full-time hours | - | 2,080 hours/year |
St. Louis sits at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, with an economy built on healthcare and bioscience (including a major plant-science cluster), financial services, aerospace and defense led by Boeing, brewing, and higher education at Washington University.
| Local Metric | Saint Louis (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Metro population | 300,000 |
| County / jurisdiction | the City of St. Louis |
| Cost of living index (US avg = 100) | 86 |
| MIT living wage, single adult | $19.00/hour |
| MIT living wage, one earner supporting a family of four | $38.50/hour |
| Applicable minimum wage | $12.30/hour |
| Average rent, 1-bedroom | $1,100/month |
| Average rent, 2-bedroom | $1,350/month |
| Median home price | $230,000 |
| Median household income | $52,000/year |
| Combined sales tax rate | 9.679% |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.2% of value/year |
Local figures are 2026 estimates compiled from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, the C2ER Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census and Zillow housing data, and city and county sources. Verify current figures before relying on them.
Divide your annual salary by your total work hours per year (40 hours/week times 52 weeks is 2,080 hours). For example, a $52,000 salary in Saint Louis is about $25.00/hour at full time.
Median household income in Saint Louis is around $52,000. Because the cost-of-living index is 86 (US average = 100) and average 1-bedroom rent is $1,100/month, what counts as comfortable depends heavily on housing costs.
The applicable minimum wage in Saint Louis is $12.30/hour, which is about $25,584/year at full time. Saint Louis does not set a separate city minimum wage, so the Missouri statewide minimum of $12.30/hour applies; Missouri adjusts the rate for inflation each January.
The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates a single adult in the City of St. Louis needs about $19.00/hour, roughly $39,520/year, to cover basic costs without assistance.
At full time, $52,000/year is about $25.00/hour, $4,333/month gross, and $2,000 per biweekly paycheck before taxes.