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 boroughs in Alaska 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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#29. Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 9.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 61.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 16.4%
- Total occupied households: 791
- Median household income: $59,803
- Median monthly housing cost: $482
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#28. Denali Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 9.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 70.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 11.4%
- Total occupied households: 613
- Median household income: $81,719
- Median monthly housing cost: $668
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#27. Yakutat City and Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 68.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 11.9%
- Total occupied households: 219
- Median household income: $71,607
- Median monthly housing cost: $675
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#26. North Slope Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 64.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.2%
- Total occupied households: 1,979
- Median household income: $79,306
- Median monthly housing cost: $782
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#25. Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
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#24. Southeast Fairbanks Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 64.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 10.6%
- Total occupied households: 2,170
- Median household income: $70,056
- Median monthly housing cost: $692
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#23. Aleutians East Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.4%
- Total occupied households: 890
- Median household income: $69,250
- Median monthly housing cost: $751
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#22. Valdez-Cordova Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 62.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 16.7%
- Total occupied households: 3,177
- Median household income: $79,867
- Median monthly housing cost: $880
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#21. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.2%
- Total occupied households: 1,856
- Median household income: $41,413
- Median monthly housing cost: $459
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#20. Lake and Peninsula Borough
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#19. Bethel Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.4%
- Total occupied households: 4,489
- Median household income: $53,553
- Median monthly housing cost: $664
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#18. Kusilvak Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.5%
- Total occupied households: 1,724
- Median household income: $36,754
- Median monthly housing cost: $461
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#17. Dillingham Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.5%
- Total occupied households: 1,427
- Median household income: $56,898
- Median monthly housing cost: $723
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#16. Bristol Bay Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 12.7%
- Total occupied households: 314
- Median household income: $79,808
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,017
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#15. Petersburg Borough
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#14. Wrangell City and Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.3%
- Total occupied households: 1,027
- Median household income: $53,894
- Median monthly housing cost: $708
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#13. Nome Census Area
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.3%
- Total occupied households: 2,844
- Median household income: $61,048
- Median monthly housing cost: $835
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#12. Northwest Arctic Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.9%
- Total occupied households: 1,795
- Median household income: $60,906
- Median monthly housing cost: $841
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#11. Skagway Municipality
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.3%
- Total occupied households: 375
- Median household income: $73,906
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,026
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#10. Aleutians West Census Area
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#9. Kenai Peninsula Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 21,630
- Median household income: $66,064
- Median monthly housing cost: $977
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#8. Sitka City and Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 3,547
- Median household income: $73,682
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,141
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#7. Juneau City and Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.3%
- Total occupied households: 12,676
- Median household income: $88,390
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,500
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#6. Haines Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 1,007
- Median household income: $58,059
- Median monthly housing cost: $991
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#5. Ketchikan Gateway Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.4%
- Total occupied households: 5,397
- Median household income: $72,728
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,276
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#4. Kodiak Island Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 35.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.4%
- Total occupied households: 4,261
- Median household income: $85,839
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,509
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#3. Matanuska-Susitna Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.5%
- Total occupied households: 31,217
- Median household income: $75,493
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,346
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#2. Anchorage Municipality
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.3%
- Total occupied households: 106,567
- Median household income: $84,928
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,517
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#1. Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.5%
- Total occupied households: 36,188
- Median household income: $76,992
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,409