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 Missouri 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. Clinton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 18.4%
- Total occupied households: 8,177
- Median household income: $62,701
- Median monthly housing cost: $917
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#49. Barry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 13,645
- Median household income: $44,403
- Median monthly housing cost: $650
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#48. Madison County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.2%
- Total occupied households: 5,044
- Median household income: $43,636
- Median monthly housing cost: $640
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#47. Saline County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.4%
- Total occupied households: 8,272
- Median household income: $44,720
- Median monthly housing cost: $656
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#45. Scott County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 15,230
- Median household income: $44,139
- Median monthly housing cost: $648
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#44. Stoddard County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.6%
- Total occupied households: 11,530
- Median household income: $41,062
- Median monthly housing cost: $603
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#43. Nodaway County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 8,395
- Median household income: $44,232
- Median monthly housing cost: $651
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#42. Bates County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.6%
- Total occupied households: 6,547
- Median household income: $47,625
- Median monthly housing cost: $701
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#41. Franklin County
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#40. Christian County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 31,645
- Median household income: $60,645
- Median monthly housing cost: $895
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#39. Camden County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.7%
- Total occupied households: 16,031
- Median household income: $53,478
- Median monthly housing cost: $790
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#38. Lincoln County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.5%
- Total occupied households: 19,286
- Median household income: $64,196
- Median monthly housing cost: $952
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#37. Pettis County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.6%
- Total occupied households: 16,033
- Median household income: $46,157
- Median monthly housing cost: $686
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#36. Jefferson County
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#35. St. Clair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 58.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.4%
- Total occupied households: 4,139
- Median household income: $38,870
- Median monthly housing cost: $578
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#34. St. Francois County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 24,898
- Median household income: $46,466
- Median monthly housing cost: $694
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#33. Platte County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.1%
- Total occupied households: 39,305
- Median household income: $80,393
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,204
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#32. Morgan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.3%
- Total occupied households: 7,588
- Median household income: $39,003
- Median monthly housing cost: $585
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#31. Buchanan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.0%
- Total occupied households: 33,501
- Median household income: $51,916
- Median monthly housing cost: $783
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#30. New Madrid County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 7,371
- Median household income: $38,679
- Median monthly housing cost: $585
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#29. Lawrence County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 14,787
- Median household income: $44,742
- Median monthly housing cost: $679
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#28. Polk County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.2%
- Total occupied households: 11,712
- Median household income: $45,660
- Median monthly housing cost: $694
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#27. Carter County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 2,333
- Median household income: $39,530
- Median monthly housing cost: $601
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#26. Dunklin County
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#25. Wright County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.4%
- Total occupied households: 7,063
- Median household income: $34,776
- Median monthly housing cost: $534
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#24. Johnson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.2%
- Total occupied households: 19,864
- Median household income: $55,273
- Median monthly housing cost: $851
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#23. Clay County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 91,238
- Median household income: $70,510
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,088
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#22. Cass County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.4%
- Total occupied households: 39,770
- Median household income: $69,433
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,073
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#21. McDonald County
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#20. Adair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.1%
- Total occupied households: 9,258
- Median household income: $41,929
- Median monthly housing cost: $651
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#19. Cape Girardeau County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.1%
- Total occupied households: 29,594
- Median household income: $53,732
- Median monthly housing cost: $842
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#18. Warren County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.4%
- Total occupied households: 12,654
- Median household income: $60,125
- Median monthly housing cost: $944
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#17. Texas County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.5%
- Total occupied households: 9,728
- Median household income: $35,067
- Median monthly housing cost: $552
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#16. Cedar County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.1%
- Total occupied households: 5,842
- Median household income: $39,365
- Median monthly housing cost: $620
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#15. Crawford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.9%
- Total occupied households: 9,578
- Median household income: $44,438
- Median monthly housing cost: $702
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#14. Butler County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.7%
- Total occupied households: 16,390
- Median household income: $39,915
- Median monthly housing cost: $636
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#13. Jasper County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 45,759
- Median household income: $48,357
- Median monthly housing cost: $772
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#12. Howell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.0%
- Total occupied households: 15,878
- Median household income: $38,357
- Median monthly housing cost: $613
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#11. St. Louis County
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#10. Ozark County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.6%
- Total occupied households: 3,958
- Median household income: $31,947
- Median monthly housing cost: $519
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#9. Phelps County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.5%
- Total occupied households: 17,981
- Median household income: $44,154
- Median monthly housing cost: $720
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#8. Taney County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.3%
- Total occupied households: 22,272
- Median household income: $46,031
- Median monthly housing cost: $777
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#7. Boone 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: 29.8%
- Total occupied households: 70,619
- Median household income: $55,328
- Median monthly housing cost: $941
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#5. Mississippi County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.1%
- Total occupied households: 5,026
- Median household income: $35,357
- Median monthly housing cost: $609
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#4. Jackson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.0%
- Total occupied households: 286,601
- Median household income: $55,134
- Median monthly housing cost: $961
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#3. Pulaski County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.7%
- Total occupied households: 15,154
- Median household income: $53,492
- Median monthly housing cost: $959
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#2. Pemiscot County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.3%
- Total occupied households: 6,730
- Median household income: $33,859
- Median monthly housing cost: $611
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#1. St. Louis city
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 36.1%
- Total occupied households: 141,952
- Median household income: $43,896
- Median monthly housing cost: $874
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