States › Kansas › Merriam

Is Merriam, KS expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 16 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,03241% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$79,378about $6,615/month · 9% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$263,30021% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 86% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.3 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $41,280 a year. That is $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Kansas cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Kansas. It is number 16 of 65 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Merriam
$1,032
Haysville
$1,288
Lansing
$1,555
Atchison
$1,341
Winfield
$869
Arkansas City
$845
Mission
$1,324

How much do households earn in Merriam?

Under $25k
12.2%
$25k–50k
21.7%
$50k–100k
41.9%
$100k–150k
15.4%
$150k+
7.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 22.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Merriam

SizeMerriamU.S. average
Studio$1,190$1,338
1 bedroom$1,193$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,523$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,775$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Merriam overall?

Everyday prices in Kansas overall are 10% below the U.S. average (index 90.1, U.S. = 100).

Housing
71
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
88
Other services
94
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Merriam, so the Kansas figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Merriam

🏛️ Property tax$3,033a year · 1.15% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$127a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Merriam

Commute to work22.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree45.6%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Merriam?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $795 a month less.

Renting
$1,032
Owning
$1,827

Owning assumes a typical $263,300 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $26,330 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Merriam, KS?

Renting in Merriam costs a median of about $1,032 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Kansas median is $1,222.

How much do I need to make to live in Merriam?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $41,280 a year, or $20 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Merriam cheap or expensive?

Merriam is rated Cheap: rent takes 15.6% of the typical household income of $79,378. It ranks 16th cheapest of 65 Kansas cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Merriam?

The median homeowner in Merriam pays $3,033 a year in property taxes, about 1.15% of the median home value.

Is Merriam more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Kansas are 10% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Merriam?

The median home value in Merriam is $263,300, about 3.3 times the typical yearly household income.

11,085 people live in Merriam. Numbers are typical (middle) values.