It's no secret that many Americans are forgoing homeownership in favor of renting. In 2020, renters in the U.S. occupied 43 million housing units.
The Stacker team looked at data from a United States Census survey that revealed an estimated 43,378,800 renter-occupied homes in the United States as of 2017, which makes up 36.1% of all households in the country. In 2019, renting was more affordable than buying a median-priced home in 59% of the counties; in 2021, the opposite was true: Owning was more affordable than renting in 63% of U.S. counties.
Stacker compiled a list of counties in Alabama where people spend the highest percent of income on rent using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of course, saving money by owning a home is unattainable for many Americans who don't have savings that could cover a down payment, those who are denied a mortgage, or both. Keep reading to see where in your home state most of people's take-home pay goes to their monthly rent.
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#50. Cherokee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.1%
- Total occupied households: 10,737
- Median household income: $41,919
- Median monthly housing cost: $542
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#49. Jackson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.5%
- Total occupied households: 20,695
- Median household income: $41,769
- Median monthly housing cost: $549
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#48. Covington County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.6%
- Total occupied households: 14,852
- Median household income: $42,189
- Median monthly housing cost: $558
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#47. Chilton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 16,927
- Median household income: $47,468
- Median monthly housing cost: $629
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#45. Tallapoosa County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.2%
- Total occupied households: 16,205
- Median household income: $45,828
- Median monthly housing cost: $618
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#44. Winston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.7%
- Total occupied households: 9,592
- Median household income: $35,788
- Median monthly housing cost: $483
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#43. Geneva County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.6%
- Total occupied households: 10,383
- Median household income: $41,732
- Median monthly housing cost: $564
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#42. Coffee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.0%
- Total occupied households: 19,924
- Median household income: $55,637
- Median monthly housing cost: $752
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#41. Escambia County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.4%
- Total occupied households: 13,089
- Median household income: $36,275
- Median monthly housing cost: $495
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#40. Colbert County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 21,880
- Median household income: $48,065
- Median monthly housing cost: $657
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#39. Marion County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.6%
- Total occupied households: 11,997
- Median household income: $35,930
- Median monthly housing cost: $493
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#38. Lauderdale County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.6%
- Total occupied households: 38,471
- Median household income: $48,094
- Median monthly housing cost: $664
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#37. St. Clair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.2%
- Total occupied households: 32,036
- Median household income: $58,308
- Median monthly housing cost: $812
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#36. Etowah County
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#35. DeKalb County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.8%
- Total occupied households: 26,040
- Median household income: $40,440
- Median monthly housing cost: $569
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#34. Madison County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.1%
- Total occupied households: 148,189
- Median household income: $65,449
- Median monthly housing cost: $921
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#33. Clarke County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.5%
- Total occupied households: 9,090
- Median household income: $37,404
- Median monthly housing cost: $530
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#32. Butler County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 6,506
- Median household income: $40,688
- Median monthly housing cost: $577
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#30. Dale County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 18,806
- Median household income: $47,214
- Median monthly housing cost: $676
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#29. Calhoun County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.1%
- Total occupied households: 44,605
- Median household income: $47,255
- Median monthly housing cost: $678
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#28. Shelby County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.2%
- Total occupied households: 79,630
- Median household income: $77,799
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,121
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#27. Marshall County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.5%
- Total occupied households: 34,883
- Median household income: $45,983
- Median monthly housing cost: $665
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#26. Elmore County
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#25. Cullman County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.4%
- Total occupied households: 31,034
- Median household income: $44,918
- Median monthly housing cost: $671
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#24. Talladega County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 31,395
- Median household income: $41,325
- Median monthly housing cost: $621
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#23. Autauga County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 21,397
- Median household income: $58,731
- Median monthly housing cost: $915
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#22. Chambers County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.4%
- Total occupied households: 13,448
- Median household income: $42,289
- Median monthly housing cost: $663
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#20. Houston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 39,311
- Median household income: $47,580
- Median monthly housing cost: $753
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#19. Marengo County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.2%
- Total occupied households: 7,361
- Median household income: $33,241
- Median monthly housing cost: $538
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#18. Baldwin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.3%
- Total occupied households: 80,930
- Median household income: $58,320
- Median monthly housing cost: $951
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#17. Wilcox County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.8%
- Total occupied households: 3,854
- Median household income: $31,014
- Median monthly housing cost: $514
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#16. Monroe County
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#15. Tuscaloosa County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.5%
- Total occupied households: 72,461
- Median household income: $53,326
- Median monthly housing cost: $891
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#14. Lee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.9%
- Total occupied households: 60,237
- Median household income: $51,463
- Median monthly housing cost: $870
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#13. Barbour County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 9,345
- Median household income: $32,525
- Median monthly housing cost: $552
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#12. Jefferson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.4%
- Total occupied households: 261,231
- Median household income: $53,901
- Median monthly housing cost: $934
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#11. Bullock County
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#10. Macon County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.7%
- Total occupied households: 7,474
- Median household income: $33,370
- Median monthly housing cost: $580
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#9. Pike County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 11,601
- Median household income: $37,446
- Median monthly housing cost: $653
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#8. Montgomery County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.6%
- Total occupied households: 89,527
- Median household income: $50,124
- Median monthly housing cost: $885
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#7. Mobile County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.2%
- Total occupied households: 156,251
- Median household income: $47,583
- Median monthly housing cost: $847
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#5. Russell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.1%
- Total occupied households: 23,262
- Median household income: $42,443
- Median monthly housing cost: $778
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#4. Lowndes County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 37.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.6%
- Total occupied households: 4,251
- Median household income: $30,036
- Median monthly housing cost: $571
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#3. Sumter County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 34.9%
- Total occupied households: 5,202
- Median household income: $24,320
- Median monthly housing cost: $466
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#2. Perry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 31.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 37.2%
- Total occupied households: 3,070
- Median household income: $23,447
- Median monthly housing cost: $464