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 North Dakota 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. Hettinger County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 9.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.5%
- Total occupied households: 1,073
- Median household income: $60,164
- Median monthly housing cost: $485
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#49. Emmons County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 9.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 65.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.6%
- Total occupied households: 1,585
- Median household income: $55,902
- Median monthly housing cost: $456
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#48. Cavalier County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 9.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 69.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.9%
- Total occupied households: 1,737
- Median household income: $64,798
- Median monthly housing cost: $529
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#47. Billings County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 9.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 66.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 12.0%
- Total occupied households: 383
- Median household income: $75,208
- Median monthly housing cost: $618
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#45. Kidder County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 64.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 12.7%
- Total occupied households: 1,092
- Median household income: $54,643
- Median monthly housing cost: $463
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#44. Divide County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.1%
- Total occupied households: 1,061
- Median household income: $62,865
- Median monthly housing cost: $533
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#43. Mercer County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 70.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 10.3%
- Total occupied households: 3,709
- Median household income: $82,181
- Median monthly housing cost: $697
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#42. Logan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 67.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.7%
- Total occupied households: 849
- Median household income: $59,375
- Median monthly housing cost: $519
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#41. Mountrail County
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#40. Pembina County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 69.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 13.6%
- Total occupied households: 3,158
- Median household income: $64,549
- Median monthly housing cost: $569
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#39. McLean County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 66.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.3%
- Total occupied households: 4,334
- Median household income: $68,529
- Median monthly housing cost: $605
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#38. LaMoure County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 10.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 65.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 12.4%
- Total occupied households: 1,822
- Median household income: $60,806
- Median monthly housing cost: $541
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#37. McHenry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 64.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.2%
- Total occupied households: 2,594
- Median household income: $64,179
- Median monthly housing cost: $590
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#36. Sheridan County
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#35. Benson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.7%
- Total occupied households: 2,248
- Median household income: $47,667
- Median monthly housing cost: $452
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#34. Grant County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 61.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.7%
- Total occupied households: 1,074
- Median household income: $50,938
- Median monthly housing cost: $486
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#33. McIntosh County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 65.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.2%
- Total occupied households: 1,291
- Median household income: $52,587
- Median monthly housing cost: $502
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#32. Rolette County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 65.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 16.3%
- Total occupied households: 4,608
- Median household income: $43,158
- Median monthly housing cost: $415
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#31. Bowman County
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#30. Eddy County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 67.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.2%
- Total occupied households: 1,062
- Median household income: $54,868
- Median monthly housing cost: $530
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#29. Renville County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 66.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.0%
- Total occupied households: 950
- Median household income: $73,182
- Median monthly housing cost: $722
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#28. Towner County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.6%
- Total occupied households: 1,058
- Median household income: $52,300
- Median monthly housing cost: $517
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#27. Nelson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 11.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 65.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 11.9%
- Total occupied households: 1,467
- Median household income: $52,039
- Median monthly housing cost: $518
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#26. Wells County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.6%
- Total occupied households: 1,943
- Median household income: $57,582
- Median monthly housing cost: $575
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#25. Ramsey County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 65.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.9%
- Total occupied households: 4,828
- Median household income: $58,910
- Median monthly housing cost: $590
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#24. Adams County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 16.4%
- Total occupied households: 1,035
- Median household income: $56,681
- Median monthly housing cost: $568
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#23. Dunn County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.4%
- Total occupied households: 1,692
- Median household income: $76,719
- Median monthly housing cost: $769
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#22. Golden Valley County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 59.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.2%
- Total occupied households: 842
- Median household income: $58,690
- Median monthly housing cost: $590
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#21. Sargent County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 71.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 12.7%
- Total occupied households: 1,864
- Median household income: $63,073
- Median monthly housing cost: $635
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#20. Dickey County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 67.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 12.4%
- Total occupied households: 2,119
- Median household income: $65,492
- Median monthly housing cost: $663
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#19. Bottineau County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 68.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.1%
- Total occupied households: 2,992
- Median household income: $60,381
- Median monthly housing cost: $612
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#18. Foster County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.1%
- Total occupied households: 1,423
- Median household income: $61,425
- Median monthly housing cost: $628
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#17. Griggs County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 66.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.3%
- Total occupied households: 1,089
- Median household income: $53,565
- Median monthly housing cost: $550
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#16. Sioux County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 12.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.2%
- Total occupied households: 1,112
- Median household income: $38,939
- Median monthly housing cost: $408
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#15. Ransom County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 64.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.3%
- Total occupied households: 2,371
- Median household income: $63,903
- Median monthly housing cost: $697
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#14. Traill County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.3%
- Total occupied households: 3,383
- Median household income: $64,453
- Median monthly housing cost: $708
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#13. Walsh County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 64.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 16.5%
- Total occupied households: 4,780
- Median household income: $55,700
- Median monthly housing cost: $612
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#12. Williams County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 15.9%
- Total occupied households: 14,320
- Median household income: $87,161
- Median monthly housing cost: $965
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#11. Barnes County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 62.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.4%
- Total occupied households: 5,074
- Median household income: $58,365
- Median monthly housing cost: $652
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#10. Richland County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.4%
- Total occupied households: 6,777
- Median household income: $61,371
- Median monthly housing cost: $688
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#9. Pierce County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 1,908
- Median household income: $55,660
- Median monthly housing cost: $653
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#8. Stutsman County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.7%
- Total occupied households: 8,908
- Median household income: $57,674
- Median monthly housing cost: $685
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#7. McKenzie County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 14.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.1%
- Total occupied households: 4,302
- Median household income: $77,845
- Median monthly housing cost: $959
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#6. Morton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.8%
- Total occupied households: 13,565
- Median household income: $70,556
- Median monthly housing cost: $900
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#5. Stark County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.0%
- Total occupied households: 12,524
- Median household income: $72,045
- Median monthly housing cost: $929
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#4. Burleigh County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.9%
- Total occupied households: 39,507
- Median household income: $71,524
- Median monthly housing cost: $962
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#3. Cass County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.2%
- Total occupied households: 75,843
- Median household income: $64,482
- Median monthly housing cost: $939
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#2. Ward County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.8%
- Total occupied households: 28,277
- Median household income: $68,871
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,015
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#1. Grand Forks County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.8%
- Total occupied households: 30,502
- Median household income: $54,051
- Median monthly housing cost: $903
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