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 Texas 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. Wharton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.5%
- Total occupied households: 15,199
- Median household income: $48,310
- Median monthly housing cost: $759
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#49. Hunt County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.8%
- Total occupied households: 33,189
- Median household income: $54,959
- Median monthly housing cost: $864
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#48. Swisher County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 18.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.9%
- Total occupied households: 2,505
- Median household income: $39,771
- Median monthly housing cost: $628
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#47. Nacogdoches County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.7%
- Total occupied households: 23,757
- Median household income: $44,847
- Median monthly housing cost: $711
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#46. Presidio County
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#45. Galveston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.5%
- Total occupied households: 121,438
- Median household income: $73,330
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,167
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#44. Anderson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.9%
- Total occupied households: 16,677
- Median household income: $43,455
- Median monthly housing cost: $693
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#43. Caldwell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 52.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.4%
- Total occupied households: 13,460
- Median household income: $54,152
- Median monthly housing cost: $864
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#42. Navarro County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 51.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.8%
- Total occupied households: 17,338
- Median household income: $48,529
- Median monthly housing cost: $775
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#41. Montgomery County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 25.6%
- Total occupied households: 198,649
- Median household income: $80,902
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,293
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#40. Jefferson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.9%
- Total occupied households: 92,988
- Median household income: $51,248
- Median monthly housing cost: $820
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#39. Waller County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.4%
- Total occupied households: 15,171
- Median household income: $59,642
- Median monthly housing cost: $957
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#38. Tom Green County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.2%
- Total occupied households: 43,314
- Median household income: $53,903
- Median monthly housing cost: $867
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#37. Rockwall County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 49.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 23.9%
- Total occupied households: 33,032
- Median household income: $100,920
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,627
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#36. Wichita County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.5%
- Total occupied households: 48,356
- Median household income: $48,650
- Median monthly housing cost: $787
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#35. Kendall County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 24.7%
- Total occupied households: 14,253
- Median household income: $84,747
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,371
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#34. Erath County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 50.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.7%
- Total occupied households: 13,595
- Median household income: $52,742
- Median monthly housing cost: $855
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#33. Hartley County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 46.7%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 14.9%
- Total occupied households: 1,678
- Median household income: $58,298
- Median monthly housing cost: $946
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#32. Smith County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.8%
- Total occupied households: 77,678
- Median household income: $56,810
- Median monthly housing cost: $925
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#31. Aransas 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: 29.3%
- Total occupied households: 9,548
- Median household income: $45,137
- Median monthly housing cost: $737
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#30. Irion County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 59.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.4%
- Total occupied households: 682
- Median household income: $47,500
- Median monthly housing cost: $780
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#29. Fort Bend County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 26.7%
- Total occupied households: 237,883
- Median household income: $97,743
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,608
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#28. Houston County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.6%
- Total occupied households: 8,252
- Median household income: $37,904
- Median monthly housing cost: $624
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#27. Taylor County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.6%
- Total occupied households: 49,868
- Median household income: $53,143
- Median monthly housing cost: $875
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#26. Coryell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.1%
- Total occupied households: 22,322
- Median household income: $52,893
- Median monthly housing cost: $871
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#25. Hidalgo County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.5%
- Total occupied households: 238,345
- Median household income: $40,014
- Median monthly housing cost: $662
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#24. Dimmit County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 53.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 22.5%
- Total occupied households: 3,148
- Median household income: $27,161
- Median monthly housing cost: $450
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#23. Collin County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 19.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.2%
- Total occupied households: 341,163
- Median household income: $96,913
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,608
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#22. Gregg County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 48.3%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.6%
- Total occupied households: 45,460
- Median household income: $50,180
- Median monthly housing cost: $835
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#21. Kaufman County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.1%
- Total occupied households: 38,015
- Median household income: $70,107
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,169
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#20. Williamson County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 45.5%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 27.4%
- Total occupied households: 180,160
- Median household income: $87,337
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,477
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#19. Cameron County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 47.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.2%
- Total occupied households: 124,605
- Median household income: $38,758
- Median monthly housing cost: $658
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#18. Denton County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 20.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 28.5%
- Total occupied households: 290,229
- Median household income: $86,913
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,477
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#17. Hansford County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.0%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 41.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.7%
- Total occupied households: 1,838
- Median household income: $38,000
- Median monthly housing cost: $666
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#16. Tarrant County
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#15. McLennan County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.4%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.1%
- Total occupied households: 90,054
- Median household income: $49,778
- Median monthly housing cost: $886
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#14. Nueces County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.1%
- Total occupied households: 129,451
- Median household income: $55,919
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,000
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#13. Bell County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.5%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 30.0%
- Total occupied households: 122,689
- Median household income: $54,884
- Median monthly housing cost: $985
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#12. El Paso County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.2%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.2%
- Total occupied households: 268,310
- Median household income: $46,871
- Median monthly housing cost: $851
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#11. Lubbock County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.3%
- Total occupied households: 113,488
- Median household income: $52,429
- Median monthly housing cost: $953
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#10. Bexar County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 21.9%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.0%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 31.9%
- Total occupied households: 636,245
- Median household income: $57,157
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,045
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#9. Potter County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.1%
- Total occupied households: 44,380
- Median household income: $42,528
- Median monthly housing cost: $783
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#8. Kleberg County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 44.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 29.6%
- Total occupied households: 10,955
- Median household income: $43,730
- Median monthly housing cost: $807
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#7. Harris County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.2%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 42.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.0%
- Total occupied households: 1,605,368
- Median household income: $61,705
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,141
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#5. Travis County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.6%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 39.9%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.6%
- Total occupied households: 472,361
- Median household income: $75,887
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,427
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#4. Hays County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 22.7%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 38.1%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 33.7%
- Total occupied households: 73,437
- Median household income: $68,717
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,300
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#3. Dallas County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.1%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 40.4%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 34.1%
- Total occupied households: 928,341
- Median household income: $59,607
- Median monthly housing cost: $1,146
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#2. Walker County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 23.8%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 43.6%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 32.3%
- Total occupied households: 21,963
- Median household income: $43,742
- Median monthly housing cost: $866
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#1. Brazos County
- Median percent of income spent on housing: 24.3%
--- Percent of households spending <20% of income on housing: 37.8%
--- Percent of households spending >30% of income on housing: 38.7%
- Total occupied households: 79,412
- Median household income: $49,181
- Median monthly housing cost: $996
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