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 Illinois 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. Monroe County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 13,586
- Median household income: $85,747
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,135
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#49. Douglas County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 7,613
- Median household income: $56,714
- Median monthly housing cost: $751
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#48. Bureau County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.5%
- Total occupied households: 13,698
- Median household income: $57,436
- Median monthly housing cost: $761
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#47. Saline County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.1%
- Total occupied households: 9,972
- Median household income: $44,090
- Median monthly housing cost: $585
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#46. Pulaski County
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#45. Fulton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.9%
- Total occupied households: 13,940
- Median household income: $51,643
- Median monthly housing cost: $691
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#44. Mason County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 59.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.2%
- Total occupied households: 5,977
- Median household income: $48,417
- Median monthly housing cost: $648
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#43. Lee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.8%
- Total occupied households: 13,788
- Median household income: $58,194
- Median monthly housing cost: $781
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#42. Jo Daviess County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.4%
- Total occupied households: 9,970
- Median household income: $57,946
- Median monthly housing cost: $788
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#40. Tazewell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.6%
- Total occupied households: 54,291
- Median household income: $63,454
- Median monthly housing cost: $870
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#39. Marion County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 15,946
- Median household income: $47,519
- Median monthly housing cost: $652
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#38. Alexander County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 2,154
- Median household income: $36,806
- Median monthly housing cost: $508
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#37. Whiteside County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.5%
- Total occupied households: 23,084
- Median household income: $54,232
- Median monthly housing cost: $752
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#36. Iroquois County
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#35. Franklin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.7%
- Total occupied households: 16,235
- Median household income: $42,769
- Median monthly housing cost: $601
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#34. Vermilion County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.4%
- Total occupied households: 31,151
- Median household income: $46,515
- Median monthly housing cost: $655
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#33. Jefferson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.8%
- Total occupied households: 14,985
- Median household income: $49,896
- Median monthly housing cost: $704
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#32. Ogle County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 21,021
- Median household income: $60,986
- Median monthly housing cost: $863
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#30. Adams County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.1%
- Total occupied households: 27,112
- Median household income: $52,993
- Median monthly housing cost: $757
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#29. Livingston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.0%
- Total occupied households: 14,307
- Median household income: $55,160
- Median monthly housing cost: $789
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#28. LaSalle County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.1%
- Total occupied households: 45,095
- Median household income: $58,142
- Median monthly housing cost: $832
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#27. Sangamon County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.4%
- Total occupied households: 83,711
- Median household income: $61,912
- Median monthly housing cost: $887
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#26. Williamson County
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#25. Morgan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.4%
- Total occupied households: 13,719
- Median household income: $51,437
- Median monthly housing cost: $744
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#24. Grundy County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.8%
- Total occupied households: 19,676
- Median household income: $77,350
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,132
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#23. McLean County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.8%
- Total occupied households: 65,845
- Median household income: $67,675
- Median monthly housing cost: $992
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#22. Stephenson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 19,739
- Median household income: $48,805
- Median monthly housing cost: $716
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#21. Massac County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.1%
- Total occupied households: 5,822
- Median household income: $47,481
- Median monthly housing cost: $697
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#20. Madison County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.3%
- Total occupied households: 107,659
- Median household income: $60,738
- Median monthly housing cost: $902
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#19. Rock Island County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.5%
- Total occupied households: 60,546
- Median household income: $54,858
- Median monthly housing cost: $815
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#18. Knox County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 20,680
- Median household income: $44,129
- Median monthly housing cost: $659
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#17. McDonough County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 11,408
- Median household income: $44,471
- Median monthly housing cost: $678
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#16. Peoria County
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#15. Coles County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.7%
- Total occupied households: 20,926
- Median household income: $46,202
- Median monthly housing cost: $721
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#14. Boone County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.6%
- Total occupied households: 18,571
- Median household income: $69,272
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,113
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#13. Winnebago County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.4%
- Total occupied households: 114,779
- Median household income: $54,489
- Median monthly housing cost: $878
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#12. DuPage County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.2%
- Total occupied households: 342,791
- Median household income: $92,809
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,539
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#11. Kankakee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.3%
- Total occupied households: 39,796
- Median household income: $58,902
- Median monthly housing cost: $977
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#10. St. Clair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.7%
- Total occupied households: 104,105
- Median household income: $55,179
- Median monthly housing cost: $919
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#9. McHenry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.3%
- Total occupied households: 112,453
- Median household income: $86,799
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,462
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#8. Lake County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 246,122
- Median household income: $89,427
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,520
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#7. DeKalb County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.6%
- Total occupied households: 38,150
- Median household income: $63,317
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,078
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#5. Kane County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.2%
- Total occupied households: 179,637
- Median household income: $79,394
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,388
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#4. Kendall County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.3%
- Total occupied households: 40,721
- Median household income: $96,563
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,716
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#3. Champaign County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.0%
- Total occupied households: 82,369
- Median household income: $52,797
- Median monthly housing cost: $946
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#2. Jackson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 35.0%
- Total occupied households: 23,883
- Median household income: $37,241
- Median monthly housing cost: $710
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#1. Cook County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 37.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 36.5%
- Total occupied households: 1,972,108
- Median household income: $64,660
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,273
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