Counties with the most renters in Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts 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.

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#14. Barnstable County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 20.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,311 (+18.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #6 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #111 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 45.5%
--- #2 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #307 among all counties nationwide

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#13. Plymouth County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 23.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,279 (+13.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #7 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #130 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.0%
--- #6 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #500 among all counties nationwide

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#12. Dukes County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 27.7%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,459 (+2.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #5 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #65 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 51.1%
--- #1 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #87 among all counties nationwide

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#11. Nantucket County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,764 (+9.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #1 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #16 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.4%
--- #8 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #557 among all counties nationwide

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#10. Berkshire County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 30.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $872 (+15.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #14 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #701 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.4%
--- #10 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #924 among all counties nationwide

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#9. Norfolk County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,589 (+19.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #4 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #40 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.9%
--- #12 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #1,132 among all counties nationwide

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#8. Franklin County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $976 (+14.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #11 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #453 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.5%
--- #7 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #548 among all counties nationwide

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#7. Hampshire County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,119 (+16.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #9 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #252 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 43.6%
--- #5 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #447 among all counties nationwide

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#6. Worcester County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,060 (+13.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #10 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #318 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.0%
--- #11 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #1,118 among all counties nationwide

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#5. Essex County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.8%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,241 (+15.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #8 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #151 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 44.5%
--- #3 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #365 among all counties nationwide

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#4. Bristol County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $901 (+9.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #13 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #612 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.2%
--- #13 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #1,259 among all counties nationwide

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#3. Middlesex County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,636 (+22.0% change in rent since 2015)
--- #2 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #32 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 35.1%
--- #14 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #1,616 among all counties nationwide

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#2. Hampden County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $906 (+10.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #12 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #604 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 44.1%
--- #4 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #403 among all counties nationwide

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#1. Suffolk County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 63.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,590 (+22.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #3 highest rent among counties in Massachusetts, #39 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.8%
--- #9 most common among counties in Massachusetts, #738 among all counties nationwide