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 Michigan 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. Manistee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.6%
- Total occupied households: 9,426
- Median household income: $50,055
- Median monthly housing cost: $724
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#49. Antrim County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.7%
- Total occupied households: 9,899
- Median household income: $56,165
- Median monthly housing cost: $813
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#48. Gladwin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.7%
- Total occupied households: 11,047
- Median household income: $44,619
- Median monthly housing cost: $649
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#47. Roscommon County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 11,139
- Median household income: $42,054
- Median monthly housing cost: $612
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#46. Osceola County
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#45. Benzie County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 6,792
- Median household income: $57,974
- Median monthly housing cost: $845
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#44. Mason County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.0%
- Total occupied households: 12,186
- Median household income: $51,725
- Median monthly housing cost: $755
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#43. Bay County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.8%
- Total occupied households: 44,339
- Median household income: $48,819
- Median monthly housing cost: $713
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#42. Eaton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 44,480
- Median household income: $64,348
- Median monthly housing cost: $941
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#41. Van Buren County
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#40. Cass County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.8%
- Total occupied households: 21,019
- Median household income: $55,107
- Median monthly housing cost: $808
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#39. St. Joseph County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.2%
- Total occupied households: 24,150
- Median household income: $52,086
- Median monthly housing cost: $764
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#38. Livingston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 72,000
- Median household income: $84,221
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,240
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#37. Hillsdale County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.8%
- Total occupied households: 18,107
- Median household income: $49,622
- Median monthly housing cost: $732
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#36. Branch County
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#35. Chippewa County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 13,999
- Median household income: $46,486
- Median monthly housing cost: $690
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#34. Houghton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.0%
- Total occupied households: 13,386
- Median household income: $43,183
- Median monthly housing cost: $641
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#33. Lapeer County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.2%
- Total occupied households: 33,700
- Median household income: $62,641
- Median monthly housing cost: $931
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#32. Montmorency County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.7%
- Total occupied households: 4,452
- Median household income: $41,772
- Median monthly housing cost: $621
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#31. Muskegon County
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#30. Monroe County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.5%
- Total occupied households: 59,929
- Median household income: $62,203
- Median monthly housing cost: $931
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#29. Montcalm County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 23,913
- Median household income: $49,448
- Median monthly housing cost: $741
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#28. Jackson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.6%
- Total occupied households: 61,805
- Median household income: $53,658
- Median monthly housing cost: $807
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#27. Oakland County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 504,585
- Median household income: $79,698
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,203
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#26. Lenawee County
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#25. Kalkaska County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.4%
- Total occupied households: 7,145
- Median household income: $46,898
- Median monthly housing cost: $713
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#24. Gratiot County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.6%
- Total occupied households: 15,035
- Median household income: $47,848
- Median monthly housing cost: $729
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#23. St. Clair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.2%
- Total occupied households: 64,850
- Median household income: $56,951
- Median monthly housing cost: $868
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#22. Kent County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.0%
- Total occupied households: 241,746
- Median household income: $63,053
- Median monthly housing cost: $962
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#21. Crawford County
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#20. Missaukee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 6,055
- Median household income: $47,194
- Median monthly housing cost: $730
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#19. Wexford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.6%
- Total occupied households: 12,963
- Median household income: $47,193
- Median monthly housing cost: $730
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#18. Leelanau County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 9,139
- Median household income: $65,249
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,011
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#17. Saginaw County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.1%
- Total occupied households: 78,933
- Median household income: $48,000
- Median monthly housing cost: $745
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#16. Otsego County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.2%
- Total occupied households: 9,944
- Median household income: $54,332
- Median monthly housing cost: $845
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#15. Mecosta County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.2%
- Total occupied households: 15,808
- Median household income: $45,018
- Median monthly housing cost: $703
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#14. Kalamazoo County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.7%
- Total occupied households: 103,445
- Median household income: $56,511
- Median monthly housing cost: $884
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#13. Berrien County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.6%
- Total occupied households: 63,665
- Median household income: $50,795
- Median monthly housing cost: $795
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#12. Calhoun County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.1%
- Total occupied households: 53,991
- Median household income: $48,607
- Median monthly housing cost: $761
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#10. Grand Traverse County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 37,319
- Median household income: $63,575
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,002
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#9. Macomb County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.0%
- Total occupied households: 346,402
- Median household income: $62,855
- Median monthly housing cost: $996
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#8. Ogemaw County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.3%
- Total occupied households: 9,184
- Median household income: $40,373
- Median monthly housing cost: $647
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#7. Emmet County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.3%
- Total occupied households: 14,463
- Median household income: $55,829
- Median monthly housing cost: $897
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#5. Genesee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.0%
- Total occupied households: 167,902
- Median household income: $48,588
- Median monthly housing cost: $798
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#4. Washtenaw County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.1%
- Total occupied households: 141,245
- Median household income: $72,586
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,226
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#3. Isabella County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.9%
- Total occupied households: 24,739
- Median household income: $45,116
- Median monthly housing cost: $768
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#2. Ingham County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.0%
- Total occupied households: 112,840
- Median household income: $52,872
- Median monthly housing cost: $928