Boroughs in Alaska where people spend most of their paycheck on housing

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October 3, 2021
Arina P Habich // Shutterstock

Boroughs in Alaska where people spend most of their paycheck on housing

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

#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

#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

#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

#25. Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.1%
- Total occupied households: 2,371
- Median household income: $52,379
- Median monthly housing cost: $517

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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

#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

#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

#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

#20. Lake and Peninsula Borough

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 62.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.5%
- Total occupied households: 421
- Median household income: $44,135
- Median monthly housing cost: $526

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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

#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

#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

#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

#15. Petersburg Borough

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.7%
- Total occupied households: 1,187
- Median household income: $69,948
- Median monthly housing cost: $903

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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

#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

#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

#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

#10. Aleutians West Census Area

- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 36.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.2%
- Total occupied households: 1,187
- Median household income: $87,466
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,287

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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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

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