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 New York 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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P199 // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.6%
- Total occupied households: 41,933
- Median household income: $50,940
- Median monthly housing cost: $738
PQK // Shuterstock
2 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 31,221
- Median household income: $58,377
- Median monthly housing cost: $848
Andre Carrotflower // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.8%
- Total occupied households: 53,075
- Median household income: $46,820
- Median monthly housing cost: $681
Richard Cavalleri // Shutterstock
4 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.5%
- Total occupied households: 31,301
- Median household income: $56,365
- Median monthly housing cost: $822
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock
5 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 88,519
- Median household income: $55,522
- Median monthly housing cost: $812
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Doug Kerr // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.6%
- Total occupied households: 18,968
- Median household income: $49,544
- Median monthly housing cost: $735
Colgate University // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.3%
- Total occupied households: 25,877
- Median household income: $61,633
- Median monthly housing cost: $919
Nina Alizada // Shutterstock
8 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.4%
- Total occupied households: 89,729
- Median household income: $56,027
- Median monthly housing cost: $836
PhotoItaliaStudio // Shutterstock
9 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.4%
- Total occupied households: 94,406
- Median household income: $84,291
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,268
tomtsya// Shutterstock
10 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 15,790
- Median household income: $56,763
- Median monthly housing cost: $855
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Andre Carrotflower // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 36,720
- Median household income: $59,449
- Median monthly housing cost: $896
Lvklock // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.5%
- Total occupied households: 33,989
- Median household income: $54,940
- Median monthly housing cost: $829
Reilchey27 // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.8%
- Total occupied households: 12,559
- Median household income: $57,714
- Median monthly housing cost: $874
marjobani // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 13,564
- Median household income: $54,545
- Median monthly housing cost: $828
Kenneth Sponsler // Shutterstock
15 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.0%
- Total occupied households: 23,409
- Median household income: $54,028
- Median monthly housing cost: $822
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Benjamin D. Esham (bdesham) // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.3%
- Total occupied households: 24,176
- Median household income: $59,510
- Median monthly housing cost: $909
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
17 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 46,079
- Median household income: $55,967
- Median monthly housing cost: $859
Lamar Gore/USFWS // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.8%
- Total occupied households: 7,324
- Median household income: $52,327
- Median monthly housing cost: $806
Beyond My Ken // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.4%
- Total occupied households: 22,557
- Median household income: $50,482
- Median monthly housing cost: $779
Stef Ko // Shutterstock
20 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 17,745
- Median household income: $56,023
- Median monthly housing cost: $865
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21 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.8%
- Total occupied households: 389,585
- Median household income: $58,121
- Median monthly housing cost: $898
Daniel Case // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 44,787
- Median household income: $64,944
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,005
littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock
23 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 185,324
- Median household income: $61,359
- Median monthly housing cost: $963
Canva
24 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.4%
- Total occupied households: 78,549
- Median household income: $52,226
- Median monthly housing cost: $821
Daniel Case // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.1%
- Total occupied households: 24,966
- Median household income: $66,787
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,058
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UpstateNYer // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.6%
- Total occupied households: 24,014
- Median household income: $57,258
- Median monthly housing cost: $909
Matt H. Wade // Wikimedia Commons
27 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.2%
- Total occupied households: 64,906
- Median household income: $68,991
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,113
UpstateNYer // Wikimedia Commons
28 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.5%
- Total occupied households: 54,302
- Median household income: $65,499
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,062
Jimmy Emerson // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.0%
- Total occupied households: 16,563
- Median household income: $52,620
- Median monthly housing cost: $862
Jwilson855 // Wikimedia Commons
30 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.3%
- Total occupied households: 19,660
- Median household income: $49,462
- Median monthly housing cost: $814
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Gbklyn // Wikimedia Commons
31 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.0%
- Total occupied households: 28,015
- Median household income: $61,024
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,005
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
32 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.1%
- Total occupied households: 301,948
- Median household income: $60,075
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,022
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
33 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.7%
- Total occupied households: 126,540
- Median household income: $66,252
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,128
Eric Richards // Wikimedia Commons
34 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.1%
- Total occupied households: 28,184
- Median household income: $57,426
- Median monthly housing cost: $990
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock
35 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.8%
- Total occupied households: 42,734
- Median household income: $52,685
- Median monthly housing cost: $940
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Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
36 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.0%
- Total occupied households: 17,100
- Median household income: $53,601
- Median monthly housing cost: $970
Colin D. Young // Shutterstock
37 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 36.0%
- Total occupied households: 108,413
- Median household income: $81,219
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,470
Fred Hsu // Wikimedia Commons
38 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 36.2%
- Total occupied households: 69,320
- Median household income: $64,304
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,235
James Kirkikis // Shutterstock
39 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 38.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 36.6%
- Total occupied households: 34,854
- Median household income: $104,486
- Median monthly housing cost: $2,020
Lewis Liu // Shutterstock
40 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 34.9%
- Total occupied households: 39,618
- Median household income: $60,240
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,195
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Mwanner // Wikimedia Commons
41 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 24.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 35.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 38.9%
- Total occupied households: 128,016
- Median household income: $79,944
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,596
Canva
42 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 24.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 36.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 39.6%
- Total occupied households: 349,292
- Median household income: $96,610
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,940
Roman Babakin // Shutterstock
43 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 24.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 36.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 38.9%
- Total occupied households: 166,246
- Median household income: $82,783
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,669
littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock
44 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 24.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 37.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 38.1%
- Total occupied households: 446,977
- Median household income: $116,100
- Median monthly housing cost: $2,361
pisaphotography // Shutterstock
45 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 24.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 37.7%
- Total occupied households: 759,460
- Median household income: $86,553
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,795
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Tim Hettler from New York, NY, USA // Wikimedia Commons
46 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 25.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 34.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 39.6%
- Total occupied households: 489,301
- Median household income: $101,031
- Median monthly housing cost: $2,121
Felix Lipov // Shutterstock
47 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 26.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 31.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 44.2%
- Total occupied households: 100,438
- Median household income: $93,024
- Median monthly housing cost: $2,050
Bjoertvedt // Wikimedia Commons
48 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 27.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 32.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 44.7%
- Total occupied households: 778,932
- Median household income: $68,666
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,582
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
49 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 29.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 29.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 47.0%
- Total occupied households: 958,567
- Median household income: $60,231
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,490
Gryffindor // Wikimedia Commons
50 / 50- Median percent of income spent on housing: 37.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 23.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 53.0%
- Total occupied households: 503,829
- Median household income: $40,088
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,236
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