Kansas City multifamily market, October 2026

Landlords have the edge in Kansas City, and it is holding steady: asking rents are up 2.9% on a year, while jobs grew 0.5%.

Updated October 31, 2026 · from Zillow, BLS and the US Census Bureau

+2.9%

Asking rent, year over year

Zillow · September 2026

+0.5%

Jobs, year over year

BLS · September 2026, preliminary

4.2%YEARLY

Vacancy

Census · 2024 count

What is moving now

Asking rents are up 2.9% on a year to September 2026, which is the figure the condition is read from. Jobs are up 0.5% over the same year to September 2026, a first release the BLS revises the following month. Nothing is pulling hard either way in the latest figures (September 2026).

The backdrop

These are yearly Census counts, not this month's: 4.2% of rentals sat empty in 2024, permits for new apartments were up 26% in 2025, more people moved in than out in 2025, and the typical rent was $1,315 a month in 2024. They are the background the monthly figures move against, and they are the newest the Census has published.

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Common questions about Kansas City

Answered from the data, updated October 31, 2026

Is the Kansas City rental market tight or soft right now?

In Kansas City right now, landlords have the edge, and it is stable.

Which way is the Kansas City market heading?

Kansas City is stable right now, as asking rents firm over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly).

Is Kansas City a landlord's or a renter's market?

Kansas City is a landlord's market right now: landlords have the edge, and it is stable.

What is the vacancy rate in Kansas City?

Vacancy in Kansas City is 4.2% in the 2024 count, a yearly snapshot rather than a monthly reading (US Census Bureau).

How much have Kansas City rents changed?

Asking rents in Kansas City are up 2.9% over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly, latest Sep 2026).

Recent coverage

Daily, from the MetroSgnl news feed. Headlines only.

Northmarq Brokers Sale of 64-Unit, Historic Multifamily Property in Kansas CityREBusinessOnline

Northmarq closes sale of 627-unit multifamily community in LawrenceREJournals

Historic Kansas City Country Club Plaza Multifamily Asset Trades Amid $1.5B TransformationYield PRO

Kansas City launches housing developer tool to help blighted neighborhoodsFOX4KC.com

Affordable housing development breaks ground on Kansas City’s east sideKSHB 41 Kansas City

Mabion offers affordable housing in Beacon Hill.Spectrum News

See all Kansas City news →

Data: Zillow ZORI, BLS, US Census Bureau, FRED, and the MetroSgnl news feed. Recomputed daily. Market information only, not investment advice.
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