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 Kentucky 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.
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 30#30. Owsley County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $316 (-10.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #120 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #3,137 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.0%
--- #42 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,118 among all counties nationwide
2 / 30
#29. Clay County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $533 (+12.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #102 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,965 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.4%
--- #27 most common among counties in Kentucky, #794 among all counties nationwide
Farragutful // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 30#28. Daviess County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $769 (+19.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #18 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,184 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 34.9%
--- #61 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,645 among all counties nationwide
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 30#27. Montgomery County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $710 (+9.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #29 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,614 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 28.1%
--- #103 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,497 among all counties nationwide
Greg5030 // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 30#26. Mason County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $661 (+20.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #46 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,083 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 32.2%
--- #76 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,046 among all counties nationwide
Acdixon // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 30#25. Todd County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $637 (+8.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #60 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,313 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 26.2%
--- #109 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,663 among all counties nationwide
Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 30#24. Clark County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $727 (+4.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #23 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,462 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 30.0%
--- #93 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,310 among all counties nationwide
Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 30#23. Boyle County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $727 (+14.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #23 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,462 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.2%
--- #41 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,102 among all counties nationwide
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 30#22. Barren County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $681 (+14.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #41 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,883 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.8%
--- #15 most common among counties in Kentucky, #425 among all counties nationwide
Greg5030 // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 30#21. Kenton County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $811 (+8.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #12 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #953 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 31.0%
--- #86 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,191 among all counties nationwide
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 30#20. Bell County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $522 (+9.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #108 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #3,009 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 49.7%
--- #6 most common among counties in Kentucky, #125 among all counties nationwide
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 30#19. Knox County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $562 (+3.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #90 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,841 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.3%
--- #55 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,426 among all counties nationwide
Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 30#18. McCracken County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $717 (+18.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #26 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,548 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 34.2%
--- #68 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,743 among all counties nationwide
Bfreas // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 30#17. Simpson County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $804 (+25.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #13 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #976 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 31.1%
--- #85 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,184 among all counties nationwide
Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 30#16. Jessamine County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $789 (+2.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #14 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,052 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.2%
--- #35 most common among counties in Kentucky, #962 among all counties nationwide
Smceuen // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 30#15. Carroll County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $650 (+0.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #54 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,182 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.6%
--- #21 most common among counties in Kentucky, #535 among all counties nationwide
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 30#14. Wolfe County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $497 (+1.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #116 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #3,067 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 53.5%
--- #2 most common among counties in Kentucky, #43 among all counties nationwide
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 30#13. Bourbon County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $730 (+5.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #22 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,439 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 34.7%
--- #62 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,676 among all counties nationwide
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 30#12. Franklin County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $762 (+10.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #19 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,234 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 29.8%
--- #96 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,330 among all counties nationwide
Murray State // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 30#11. Calloway County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $705 (+21.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #32 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,657 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.6%
--- #17 most common among counties in Kentucky, #447 among all counties nationwide
Chris Watson // Wikicommons
21 / 30#10. Jefferson County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $871 (+16.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #5 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #708 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.6%
--- #51 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,376 among all counties nationwide
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 30#9. Hardin County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $827 (+8.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #10 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #870 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 29.2%
--- #98 most common among counties in Kentucky, #2,388 among all counties nationwide
Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 30#8. Fulton County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $579 (+20.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #82 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,752 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 46.5%
--- #8 most common among counties in Kentucky, #252 among all counties nationwide
w.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 30#7. Henderson County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $689 (+12.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #38 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,812 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.5%
--- #52 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,390 among all counties nationwide
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 30#6. Taylor County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 39.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $643 (+11.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #58 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,259 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.9%
--- #43 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,132 among all counties nationwide
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 30#5. Rowan County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 40.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $652 (+5.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #51 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #2,167 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 44.3%
--- #12 most common among counties in Kentucky, #382 among all counties nationwide
FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore // Wikimedia Commons
27 / 30#4. Madison County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 40.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $710 (+9.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #29 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,614 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.4%
--- #33 most common among counties in Kentucky, #924 among all counties nationwide
OPMaster // Wikimedia Commons
28 / 30#3. Warren County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 41.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $781 (+12.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #15 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #1,102 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.5%
--- #52 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,390 among all counties nationwide
Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 30#2. Fayette County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 45.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $896 (+15.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #4 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #627 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.6%
--- #32 most common among counties in Kentucky, #905 among all counties nationwide
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
30 / 30#1. Christian County
- Housing units occupied by renters: 51.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $854 (+13.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #7 highest rent among counties in Kentucky, #768 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.3%
--- #44 most common among counties in Kentucky, #1,245 among all counties nationwide
