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 Pennsylvania 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. Washington County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 84,948
- Median household income: $63,543
- Median monthly housing cost: $849
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#49. Clarion County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 16,021
- Median household income: $46,680
- Median monthly housing cost: $627
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#48. Crawford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.9%
- Total occupied households: 35,164
- Median household income: $50,304
- Median monthly housing cost: $678
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#47. Butler County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.8%
- Total occupied households: 76,502
- Median household income: $70,668
- Median monthly housing cost: $957
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#46. Cambria County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.4%
- Total occupied households: 56,674
- Median household income: $46,659
- Median monthly housing cost: $635
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#45. Mercer County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.4%
- Total occupied households: 46,340
- Median household income: $50,696
- Median monthly housing cost: $693
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#44. Schuylkill County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 58,749
- Median household income: $52,280
- Median monthly housing cost: $717
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#43. Cameron County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.4%
- Total occupied households: 2,184
- Median household income: $41,165
- Median monthly housing cost: $565
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#42. Union County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.2%
- Total occupied households: 14,533
- Median household income: $59,399
- Median monthly housing cost: $822
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#41. Northumberland County
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#40. Sullivan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.4%
- Total occupied households: 2,723
- Median household income: $47,407
- Median monthly housing cost: $658
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#39. Beaver County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.7%
- Total occupied households: 71,167
- Median household income: $57,807
- Median monthly housing cost: $803
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#38. Potter County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.7%
- Total occupied households: 6,480
- Median household income: $45,419
- Median monthly housing cost: $636
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#37. Fayette County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.4%
- Total occupied households: 54,837
- Median household income: $47,364
- Median monthly housing cost: $664
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#35. Bradford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.4%
- Total occupied households: 25,021
- Median household income: $52,358
- Median monthly housing cost: $735
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#34. Wyoming County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.8%
- Total occupied households: 10,790
- Median household income: $59,415
- Median monthly housing cost: $840
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#33. Susquehanna County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.6%
- Total occupied households: 17,235
- Median household income: $54,966
- Median monthly housing cost: $778
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#32. Perry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.5%
- Total occupied households: 18,231
- Median household income: $63,718
- Median monthly housing cost: $906
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#31. Mifflin County
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#30. Indiana County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 33,246
- Median household income: $49,320
- Median monthly housing cost: $706
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#29. Lawrence County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.7%
- Total occupied households: 37,055
- Median household income: $50,204
- Median monthly housing cost: $730
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#28. Blair County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.0%
- Total occupied households: 52,126
- Median household income: $49,181
- Median monthly housing cost: $729
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#27. Franklin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.5%
- Total occupied households: 60,438
- Median household income: $63,379
- Median monthly housing cost: $940
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#26. Clinton County
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#25. Cumberland County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 99,804
- Median household income: $71,269
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,082
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#24. Luzerne 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: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 128,660
- Median household income: $53,473
- Median monthly housing cost: $818
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#23. Allegheny County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 541,541
- Median household income: $61,043
- Median monthly housing cost: $939
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#22. Columbia County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.7%
- Total occupied households: 26,372
- Median household income: $50,550
- Median monthly housing cost: $778
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#21. Lebanon County
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#20. Lycoming County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.3%
- Total occupied households: 45,608
- Median household income: $54,241
- Median monthly housing cost: $836
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#19. Carbon County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.0%
- Total occupied households: 26,043
- Median household income: $57,006
- Median monthly housing cost: $881
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#18. Erie County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.5%
- Total occupied households: 110,318
- Median household income: $51,529
- Median monthly housing cost: $799
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#17. Wayne County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.1%
- Total occupied households: 18,841
- Median household income: $56,096
- Median monthly housing cost: $872
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#16. Adams County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 39,345
- Median household income: $67,253
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,052
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#15. Lackawanna County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.2%
- Total occupied households: 87,161
- Median household income: $52,821
- Median monthly housing cost: $846
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#14. Chester County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.1%
- Total occupied households: 190,980
- Median household income: $100,214
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,626
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#13. York County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.5%
- Total occupied households: 172,421
- Median household income: $66,457
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,088
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#12. Lancaster County
- 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: 28.7%
- Total occupied households: 201,620
- Median household income: $66,056
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,085
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#11. Dauphin County
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#10. Montgomery County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.5%
- Total occupied households: 316,206
- Median household income: $91,546
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,522
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#9. Berks County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.5%
- Total occupied households: 154,712
- Median household income: $63,728
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,079
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#8. Bucks County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.6%
- Total occupied households: 238,830
- Median household income: $89,139
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,523
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#7. Delaware County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.6%
- Total occupied households: 207,257
- Median household income: $74,477
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,278
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#5. Northampton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.5%
- Total occupied households: 114,185
- Median household income: $70,471
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,222
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#4. Pike County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.1%
- Total occupied households: 22,119
- Median household income: $65,928
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,184
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#3. Lehigh County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.0%
- Total occupied households: 138,714
- Median household income: $63,897
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,152
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#2. Monroe County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 35.1%
- Total occupied households: 57,098
- Median household income: $63,934
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,241
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#1. Philadelphia County