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 Massachusetts 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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- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.4%
- Total occupied households: 217,912
- Median household income: $69,095
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,173
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.4%
- Total occupied households: 58,838
- Median household income: $70,876
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,233
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.7%
- Total occupied households: 54,813
- Median household income: $59,230
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,039
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.4%
- Total occupied households: 309,951
- Median household income: $74,679
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,315
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.7%
- Total occupied households: 604,384
- Median household income: $102,603
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,859
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- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.5%
- Total occupied households: 30,569
- Median household income: $60,950
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,106
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.8%
- Total occupied households: 265,300
- Median household income: $103,291
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,897
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 36.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 41.7%
- Total occupied households: 3,713
- Median household income: $107,717
- Median monthly housing cost: $2,008
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.4%
- Total occupied households: 187,460
- Median household income: $89,489
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,692
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 34.9%
- Total occupied households: 94,323
- Median household income: $74,336
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,420
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- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 35.4%
- Total occupied households: 179,423
- Median household income: $55,429
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,072
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 36.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 36.9%
- Total occupied households: 294,202
- Median household income: $79,263
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,558
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 26.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 35.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 39.8%
- Total occupied households: 6,765
- Median household income: $71,811
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,610
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 29.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 32.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 41.7%
- Total occupied households: 309,844
- Median household income: $69,669
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,709
