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 Tennessee 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. Houston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 16.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.6%
- Total occupied households: 2,878
- Median household income: $42,711
- Median monthly housing cost: $602
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#49. Blount County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.4%
- Total occupied households: 50,557
- Median household income: $56,667
- Median monthly housing cost: $805
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#48. Marshall County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 56.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.1%
- Total occupied households: 12,324
- Median household income: $53,197
- Median monthly housing cost: $757
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#47. Tipton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.3%
- Total occupied households: 21,452
- Median household income: $61,291
- Median monthly housing cost: $875
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#45. Lincoln County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.0%
- Total occupied households: 13,548
- Median household income: $49,485
- Median monthly housing cost: $708
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#44. Anderson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.3%
- Total occupied households: 30,541
- Median household income: $50,392
- Median monthly housing cost: $721
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#43. Stewart County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.3%
- Total occupied households: 5,178
- Median household income: $45,809
- Median monthly housing cost: $656
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#42. Monroe County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 55.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.4%
- Total occupied households: 17,987
- Median household income: $42,429
- Median monthly housing cost: $608
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#40. Cocke County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.5%
- Total occupied households: 14,060
- Median household income: $36,716
- Median monthly housing cost: $529
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#39. Lewis County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.5%
- Total occupied households: 4,715
- Median household income: $37,277
- Median monthly housing cost: $540
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#38. Fayette County
- 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: 22.0%
- Total occupied households: 15,596
- Median household income: $60,711
- Median monthly housing cost: $884
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#37. Williamson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 57.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.0%
- Total occupied households: 77,855
- Median household income: $112,962
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,645
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#36. Hickman County
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#35. Rhea County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.4%
- Total occupied households: 12,177
- Median household income: $42,206
- Median monthly housing cost: $626
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#34. Weakley County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 17.9%
--- 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: 13,640
- Median household income: $39,937
- Median monthly housing cost: $597
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#33. Carter County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.0%
- Total occupied households: 23,784
- Median household income: $38,092
- Median monthly housing cost: $573
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#32. Lake County
- 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: 25.1%
- Total occupied households: 2,243
- Median household income: $35,191
- Median monthly housing cost: $530
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#31. Wilson County
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#30. McMinn County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.1%
- Total occupied households: 20,804
- Median household income: $43,285
- Median monthly housing cost: $653
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#29. Hardeman County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.9%
- Total occupied households: 8,891
- Median household income: $40,304
- Median monthly housing cost: $611
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#28. Dyer County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.2%
--- 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: 15,120
- Median household income: $44,185
- Median monthly housing cost: $671
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#27. Campbell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.6%
- Total occupied households: 16,192
- Median household income: $39,803
- Median monthly housing cost: $608
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#26. Gibson County
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#25. Sevier County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.3%
- Total occupied households: 37,210
- Median household income: $49,610
- Median monthly housing cost: $760
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#24. Dickson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 21.0%
- Total occupied households: 19,198
- Median household income: $53,076
- Median monthly housing cost: $819
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#23. Crockett County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 54.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 5,491
- Median household income: $44,717
- Median monthly housing cost: $691
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#22. Claiborne County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.5%
- Total occupied households: 13,281
- Median household income: $36,835
- Median monthly housing cost: $573
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#20. Trousdale County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.6%
- Total occupied households: 3,189
- Median household income: $56,321
- Median monthly housing cost: $883
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#19. Bedford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.5%
- Total occupied households: 17,029
- Median household income: $50,415
- Median monthly housing cost: $791
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#18. Maury County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 34,688
- Median household income: $57,170
- Median monthly housing cost: $898
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#17. Bradley County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.1%
- Total occupied households: 40,192
- Median household income: $51,331
- Median monthly housing cost: $810
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#16. Robertson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 25,713
- Median household income: $63,307
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,008
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#15. Knox County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 187,319
- Median household income: $57,470
- Median monthly housing cost: $917
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#14. Lauderdale County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.7%
- Total occupied households: 9,675
- Median household income: $39,896
- Median monthly housing cost: $637
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#13. Washington County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.8%
- Total occupied households: 53,859
- Median household income: $48,334
- Median monthly housing cost: $775
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#12. Hamblen County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.1%
- Total occupied households: 24,456
- Median household income: $43,619
- Median monthly housing cost: $704
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#11. Cheatham County
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#10. Putnam County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.2%
- Total occupied households: 31,424
- Median household income: $44,259
- Median monthly housing cost: $719
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#9. Sumner County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.4%
- Total occupied households: 67,089
- Median household income: $67,204
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,093
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#8. Hamilton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.8%
- Total occupied households: 145,213
- Median household income: $55,070
- Median monthly housing cost: $899
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#7. Rutherford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.0%
- Total occupied households: 111,676
- Median household income: $67,429
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,107
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#5. Montgomery County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.3%
- Total occupied households: 72,617
- Median household income: $57,541
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,012
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#4. Madison County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.8%
- Total occupied households: 37,944
- Median household income: $48,161
- Median monthly housing cost: $853
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#3. Haywood County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.6%
- Total occupied households: 7,181
- Median household income: $37,905
- Median monthly housing cost: $684
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#2. Davidson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.2%
- Total occupied households: 282,366
- Median household income: $60,388
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,135
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#1. Shelby County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 34.4%
- Total occupied households: 351,194
- Median household income: $51,657
- Median monthly housing cost: $994
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