Counties with the most renters in Missouri

All cities are made up of a mix of homeowners and renters, with 58.6% of Americans owning their own homes and 30.4% rending in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the American Census Bureau. In cities, there tend to be higher rates of renters due to high property values and influxes of young people who flock to urban areas after college to enter the workforce.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with most renters in Missouri using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by percent of housing units occupied by renters as of 2019 5-year estimates. Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

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#30. McDonald County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $631 (+8.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #62 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,363 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 26.1%
--- #97 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,671 among all counties nationwide

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#29. St. Louis County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $983 (+11.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #4 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #436 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.7%
--- #26 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,166 among all counties nationwide

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#28. Audrain County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $649 (+5.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #55 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,193 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 26.8%
--- #92 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,618 among all counties nationwide

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#27. St. Francois County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $690 (+12.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #35 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,803 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.7%
--- #36 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,362 among all counties nationwide

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#26. Howell County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $598 (+6.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #83 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,645 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 33.7%
--- #57 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,817 among all counties nationwide

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#25. Grundy County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $534 (-5.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #108 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,961 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 20.9%
--- #111 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,933 among all counties nationwide

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#24. Stoddard County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $621 (+15.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #68 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,464 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.0%
--- #25 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,118 among all counties nationwide

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#23. Scott County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $687 (+17.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #36 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,833 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 33.4%
--- #59 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,860 among all counties nationwide

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#22. Livingston County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $671 (+12.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #41 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,986 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 27.0%
--- #88 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,599 among all counties nationwide

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#21. Cole County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $661 (+8.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #46 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,083 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 27.0%
--- #88 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,599 among all counties nationwide

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#20. Platte County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,019 (+15.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #2 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #375 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 29.0%
--- #80 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,410 among all counties nationwide

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#19. Marion County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $665 (+9.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #44 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,046 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 30.2%
--- #74 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,293 among all counties nationwide

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#18. Cape Girardeau County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $808 (+18.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #16 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #963 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.7%
--- #26 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,166 among all counties nationwide

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#17. Butler County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $675 (+6.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #40 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,944 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.3%
--- #32 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,245 among all counties nationwide

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#16. Jasper County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $776 (+9.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #20 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,136 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.2%
--- #33 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,259 among all counties nationwide

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#15. New Madrid County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $646 (+19.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #57 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,225 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.9%
--- #35 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,321 among all counties nationwide

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#14. Buchanan County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $779 (+10.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #19 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,116 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 34.8%
--- #50 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,663 among all counties nationwide

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#13. Dunklin County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $576 (+17.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #88 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,767 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.0%
--- #16 most common among counties in Missouri, #849 among all counties nationwide

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#12. Taney County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $816 (+17.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #13 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #925 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.5%
--- #68 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,010 among all counties nationwide

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#11. Johnson County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 39.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $806 (+10.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #17 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #970 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.5%
--- #28 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,199 among all counties nationwide

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#10. Adair County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 39.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $646 (+8.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #57 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,225 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 48.1%
--- #3 most common among counties in Missouri, #168 among all counties nationwide

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#9. Mississippi County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 40.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $613 (+3.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #72 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,540 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 51.2%
--- #1 most common among counties in Missouri, #84 among all counties nationwide

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#8. Phelps County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 40.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $727 (+9.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #26 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,462 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.2%
--- #11 most common among counties in Missouri, #579 among all counties nationwide

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#7. Jackson County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 41.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $910 (+12.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #7 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #589 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.4%
--- #31 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,220 among all counties nationwide

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#6. Nodaway County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 42.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $657 (+5.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #50 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,127 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.2%
--- #40 most common among counties in Missouri, #1,445 among all counties nationwide

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#5. Greene County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 44.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $767 (+9.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #21 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #1,199 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.3%
--- #19 most common among counties in Missouri, #941 among all counties nationwide

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#4. Boone County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 44.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $876 (+10.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #8 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #689 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.5%
--- #7 most common among counties in Missouri, #457 among all counties nationwide

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#3. Pemiscot County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 45.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $617 (+10.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #70 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #2,508 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.4%
--- #10 most common among counties in Missouri, #557 among all counties nationwide

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#2. Pulaski County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 50.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $993 (+2.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #3 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #415 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 28.1%
--- #83 most common among counties in Missouri, #2,497 among all counties nationwide

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#1. St. Louis city

- Housing units occupied by renters: 56.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $828 (+10.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #12 highest rent among counties in Missouri, #868 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.6%
--- #12 most common among counties in Missouri, #647 among all counties nationwide

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