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 Washington 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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#39. Garfield County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 13.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 63.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.5%
- Total occupied households: 984
- Median household income: $55,900
- Median monthly housing cost: $633
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#38. Lincoln County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 15.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 20.0%
- Total occupied households: 4,525
- Median household income: $54,631
- Median monthly housing cost: $708
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#37. Pend Oreille County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.2%
- Total occupied households: 5,727
- Median household income: $50,591
- Median monthly housing cost: $685
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#36. Wahkiakum County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.6%
- Total occupied households: 1,897
- Median household income: $53,227
- Median monthly housing cost: $727
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#35. Stevens County
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#34. Okanogan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.2%
- Total occupied households: 17,675
- Median household income: $47,240
- Median monthly housing cost: $684
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#33. Ferry County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.1%
- Total occupied households: 3,060
- Median household income: $41,939
- Median monthly housing cost: $608
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#32. Klickitat County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.2%
- Total occupied households: 8,877
- Median household income: $55,773
- Median monthly housing cost: $812
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#31. Asotin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.0%
- Total occupied households: 9,101
- Median household income: $53,715
- Median monthly housing cost: $789
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#30. Columbia County
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#29. Grant County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.2%
- Total occupied households: 30,818
- Median household income: $55,556
- Median monthly housing cost: $834
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#28. Pacific County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 9,279
- Median household income: $46,733
- Median monthly housing cost: $704
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#27. Benton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.9%
- Total occupied households: 72,121
- Median household income: $69,023
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,045
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#26. Douglas County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.1%
- Total occupied households: 15,263
- Median household income: $62,951
- Median monthly housing cost: $959
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#25. Skamania County
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#24. Adams County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.6%
- Total occupied households: 5,973
- Median household income: $48,294
- Median monthly housing cost: $773
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#23. Franklin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 26,723
- Median household income: $63,584
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,029
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#22. Grays Harbor 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: 30.0%
- Total occupied households: 28,722
- Median household income: $51,240
- Median monthly housing cost: $841
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#21. Chelan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.9%
- Total occupied households: 28,384
- Median household income: $58,795
- Median monthly housing cost: $965
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#20. Walla Walla County
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#19. Jefferson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.5%
- Total occupied households: 14,705
- Median household income: $55,127
- Median monthly housing cost: $913
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#18. Lewis County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.9%
- Total occupied households: 30,618
- Median household income: $53,484
- Median monthly housing cost: $898
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#17. Yakima County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.1%
- Total occupied households: 83,048
- Median household income: $51,637
- Median monthly housing cost: $878
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#16. Mason County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.7%
- Total occupied households: 24,278
- Median household income: $57,634
- Median monthly housing cost: $990
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#15. Clallam County
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#14. Skagit County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.3%
- Total occupied households: 48,493
- Median household income: $67,028
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,179
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#13. Spokane County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.8%
- Total occupied households: 202,811
- Median household income: $56,904
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,008
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#12. Cowlitz County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.0%
- Total occupied households: 41,952
- Median household income: $54,506
- Median monthly housing cost: $982
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#11. Kitsap County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.9%
- Total occupied households: 103,913
- Median household income: $75,411
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,368
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#10. San Juan County
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#9. Thurston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.5%
- Total occupied households: 109,983
- Median household income: $72,003
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,314
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#8. Clark County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.9%
- Total occupied households: 174,661
- Median household income: $75,253
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,376
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#7. Island County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.2%
- Total occupied households: 34,768
- Median household income: $68,604
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,274
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#6. King County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.9%
- Total occupied households: 882,028
- Median household income: $94,974
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,772
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#5. Whatcom County
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#4. Snohomish County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.1%
- Total occupied households: 293,823
- Median household income: $86,691
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,642
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#3. Kittitas County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 37.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 35.6%
- Total occupied households: 18,347
- Median household income: $56,004
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,071
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#2. Pierce County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 38.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 34.0%
- Total occupied households: 323,296
- Median household income: $72,113
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,416
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#1. Whitman County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 38.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 38.4%
- Total occupied households: 17,999
- Median household income: $42,745
- Median monthly housing cost: $845