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 Iowa 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. Winneshiek County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 8,257
- Median household income: $65,263
- Median monthly housing cost: $829
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#49. Adair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 17.7%
- Total occupied households: 3,200
- Median household income: $53,363
- Median monthly housing cost: $678
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#48. Wayne County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.8%
- Total occupied households: 2,689
- Median household income: $44,768
- Median monthly housing cost: $572
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#47. Winnebago County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 60.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.0%
- Total occupied households: 4,577
- Median household income: $49,870
- Median monthly housing cost: $638
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#45. Buena Vista County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.7%
- Total occupied households: 7,524
- Median household income: $57,125
- Median monthly housing cost: $734
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#44. Clayton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 7,510
- Median household income: $53,152
- Median monthly housing cost: $691
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#43. Monona County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.9%
- Total occupied households: 4,000
- Median household income: $47,605
- Median monthly housing cost: $620
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#42. Floyd County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.6%
- Total occupied households: 6,903
- Median household income: $50,406
- Median monthly housing cost: $658
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#41. Fayette County
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#40. Tama County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.8%
- Total occupied households: 6,767
- Median household income: $56,037
- Median monthly housing cost: $737
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#39. Cass County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 5,921
- Median household income: $50,187
- Median monthly housing cost: $664
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#38. Marion County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.7%
- Total occupied households: 13,365
- Median household income: $61,038
- Median monthly housing cost: $812
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#37. Union County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.4%
- Total occupied households: 5,176
- Median household income: $49,900
- Median monthly housing cost: $665
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#36. Washington County
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#35. Jones County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.5%
- Total occupied households: 8,130
- Median household income: $57,549
- Median monthly housing cost: $777
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#34. Emmet County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.0%
- Total occupied households: 4,036
- Median household income: $51,563
- Median monthly housing cost: $698
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#33. Mills County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 5,554
- Median household income: $72,079
- Median monthly housing cost: $976
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#32. Woodbury County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.7%
- Total occupied households: 39,016
- Median household income: $59,224
- Median monthly housing cost: $802
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#31. Boone County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.2%
- Total occupied households: 10,954
- Median household income: $64,000
- Median monthly housing cost: $870
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#30. Marshall County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.8%
- Total occupied households: 15,419
- Median household income: $56,437
- Median monthly housing cost: $771
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#29. Keokuk County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.6%
- Total occupied households: 4,394
- Median household income: $52,881
- Median monthly housing cost: $725
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#28. Cerro Gordo County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.8%
- Total occupied households: 19,241
- Median household income: $53,963
- Median monthly housing cost: $741
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#27. Jasper County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.9%
- Total occupied households: 14,574
- Median household income: $58,952
- Median monthly housing cost: $812
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#26. Iowa County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.2%
- Total occupied households: 6,780
- Median household income: $61,443
- Median monthly housing cost: $852
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#25. Webster County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 15,306
- Median household income: $47,466
- Median monthly housing cost: $659
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#24. Lee County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.4%
- Total occupied households: 14,233
- Median household income: $49,564
- Median monthly housing cost: $689
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#23. Henry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.6%
- Total occupied households: 7,743
- Median household income: $53,501
- Median monthly housing cost: $745
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#22. Dubuque County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 38,210
- Median household income: $63,031
- Median monthly housing cost: $888
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#21. Decatur County
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#20. Warren County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.5%
- Total occupied households: 19,258
- Median household income: $77,048
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,098
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#19. Dallas County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 19.3%
- Total occupied households: 34,399
- Median household income: $88,479
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,261
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#18. Clarke County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.7%
- Total occupied households: 3,895
- Median household income: $54,427
- Median monthly housing cost: $780
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#17. Dickinson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.0%
- Total occupied households: 8,174
- Median household income: $59,969
- Median monthly housing cost: $868
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#16. Poweshiek County
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#15. Linn County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.1%
- Total occupied households: 90,877
- Median household income: $64,903
- Median monthly housing cost: $949
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#14. Muscatine County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.5%
- Total occupied households: 16,660
- Median household income: $58,453
- Median monthly housing cost: $864
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#13. Jefferson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.3%
- Total occupied households: 6,754
- Median household income: $47,708
- Median monthly housing cost: $706
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#12. Scott County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 67,021
- Median household income: $61,183
- Median monthly housing cost: $915
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#10. Pottawattamie County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 36,799
- Median household income: $60,065
- Median monthly housing cost: $909
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#9. Clinton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 19,635
- Median household income: $51,688
- Median monthly housing cost: $788
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#8. Des Moines County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.8%
- Total occupied households: 16,891
- Median household income: $51,267
- Median monthly housing cost: $786
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#7. Madison County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.6%
- Total occupied households: 6,462
- Median household income: $66,316
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,018
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#6. Appanoose County
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#5. Black Hawk County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 52,905
- Median household income: $53,539
- Median monthly housing cost: $839
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#4. Wapello County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 14,481
- Median household income: $46,246
- Median monthly housing cost: $727
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#3. Polk County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 187,798
- Median household income: $67,637
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,065
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#2. Story County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.0%
- Total occupied households: 37,811
- Median household income: $56,756
- Median monthly housing cost: $963
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#1. Johnson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.4%
- Total occupied households: 59,134
- Median household income: $62,542
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,093
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