Counties with the most renters in Washington

All cities are made up of a mix of homeowners and renters, with 58.6% of Americans owning their own homes and 30.4% rending in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the American Census Bureau. In cities, there tend to be higher rates of renters due to high property values and influxes of young people who flock to urban areas after college to enter the workforce.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with most renters in Washington using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by percent of housing units occupied by renters as of 2019 5-year estimates. Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

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#30. Ferry County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 28.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $672 (+22.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #38 highest rent among counties in Washington, #1,974 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 35.7%
--- #29 most common among counties in Washington, #1,519 among all counties nationwide

#29. Garfield County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 28.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $598 (-9.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #39 highest rent among counties in Washington, #2,645 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.8%
--- #11 most common among counties in Washington, #738 among all counties nationwide

#28. Island County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 28.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,218 (+13.2% change in rent since 2015)
--- #6 highest rent among counties in Washington, #161 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.7%
--- #22 most common among counties in Washington, #1,166 among all counties nationwide

#27. Asotin County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $797 (+14.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #28 highest rent among counties in Washington, #1,008 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 33.1%
--- #32 most common among counties in Washington, #1,913 among all counties nationwide

#26. Lewis County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $876 (+9.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #21 highest rent among counties in Washington, #689 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 39.7%
--- #16 most common among counties in Washington, #895 among all counties nationwide

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#25. Clallam County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 29.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $952 (+15.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #14 highest rent among counties in Washington, #495 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.4%
--- #13 most common among counties in Washington, #794 among all counties nationwide

#24. Benton County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $974 (+16.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #13 highest rent among counties in Washington, #457 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 36.7%
--- #24 most common among counties in Washington, #1,362 among all counties nationwide

#23. Douglas County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $909 (+10.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #19 highest rent among counties in Washington, #594 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 25.7%
--- #37 most common among counties in Washington, #2,696 among all counties nationwide

#22. Skagit County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,102 (+15.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #8 highest rent among counties in Washington, #269 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.5%
--- #19 most common among counties in Washington, #1,055 among all counties nationwide

#21. Franklin County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 31.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $913 (+13.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #17 highest rent among counties in Washington, #585 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 33.6%
--- #31 most common among counties in Washington, #1,831 among all counties nationwide

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#20. Klickitat County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $847 (+4.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #24 highest rent among counties in Washington, #799 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.8%
--- #7 most common among counties in Washington, #517 among all counties nationwide

#19. Columbia County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $763 (+5.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #32 highest rent among counties in Washington, #1,227 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 23.1%
--- #39 most common among counties in Washington, #2,846 among all counties nationwide

#18. Kitsap County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,249 (+19.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #5 highest rent among counties in Washington, #148 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 37.4%
--- #23 most common among counties in Washington, #1,220 among all counties nationwide

#17. Snohomish County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 32.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,438 (+24.7% change in rent since 2015)
--- #2 highest rent among counties in Washington, #69 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.7%
--- #18 most common among counties in Washington, #1,021 among all counties nationwide

#16. Clark County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,261 (+27.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #3 highest rent among counties in Washington, #138 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.5%
--- #19 most common among counties in Washington, #1,055 among all counties nationwide

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#15. Grays Harbor County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.0%
- 2019 median gross rent: $775 (+6.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #31 highest rent among counties in Washington, #1,142 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 38.3%
--- #21 most common among counties in Washington, #1,079 among all counties nationwide

#14. Cowlitz County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 33.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $854 (+11.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #22 highest rent among counties in Washington, #768 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 41.5%
--- #9 most common among counties in Washington, #656 among all counties nationwide

#13. Okanogan County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $711 (+14.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #36 highest rent among counties in Washington, #1,608 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 31.9%
--- #33 most common among counties in Washington, #2,087 among all counties nationwide

#12. Thurston County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 34.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,218 (+15.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #6 highest rent among counties in Washington, #161 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 42.2%
--- #8 most common among counties in Washington, #579 among all counties nationwide

#11. Walla Walla County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.2%
- 2019 median gross rent: $926 (+25.3% change in rent since 2015)
--- #16 highest rent among counties in Washington, #552 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 46.6%
--- #4 most common among counties in Washington, #249 among all counties nationwide

#10. Chelan County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 35.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $909 (+15.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #19 highest rent among counties in Washington, #594 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 31.7%
--- #34 most common among counties in Washington, #2,120 among all counties nationwide

#9. Adams County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 36.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $822 (+20.9% change in rent since 2015)
--- #26 highest rent among counties in Washington, #897 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 27.3%
--- #35 most common among counties in Washington, #2,571 among all counties nationwide

#8. Yakima County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.3%
- 2019 median gross rent: $825 (+6.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #25 highest rent among counties in Washington, #882 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 35.7%
--- #29 most common among counties in Washington, #1,519 among all counties nationwide

#7. Grant County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.5%
- 2019 median gross rent: $785 (+12.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #30 highest rent among counties in Washington, #1,079 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 25.8%
--- #36 most common among counties in Washington, #2,688 among all counties nationwide

#6. Spokane County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.6%
- 2019 median gross rent: $913 (+16.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #17 highest rent among counties in Washington, #585 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.0%
--- #15 most common among counties in Washington, #849 among all counties nationwide

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#5. Pierce County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 37.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,250 (+21.5% change in rent since 2015)
--- #4 highest rent among counties in Washington, #147 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 40.9%
--- #10 most common among counties in Washington, #720 among all counties nationwide

#4. Whatcom County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 38.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,060 (+14.6% change in rent since 2015)
--- #9 highest rent among counties in Washington, #318 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 45.7%
--- #5 most common among counties in Washington, #292 among all counties nationwide

#3. Kittitas County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 40.9%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,004 (+25.8% change in rent since 2015)
--- #10 highest rent among counties in Washington, #394 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 49.3%
--- #2 most common among counties in Washington, #136 among all counties nationwide

#2. King County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 43.1%
- 2019 median gross rent: $1,606 (+33.4% change in rent since 2015)
--- #1 highest rent among counties in Washington, #35 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 35.8%
--- #27 most common among counties in Washington, #1,506 among all counties nationwide

#1. Whitman County

- Housing units occupied by renters: 56.4%
- 2019 median gross rent: $814 (+17.1% change in rent since 2015)
--- #27 highest rent among counties in Washington, #935 among all counties nationwide
- Renters paying over 35% of household income: 52.7%
--- #1 most common among counties in Washington, #52 among all counties nationwide