Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning in America
The widest gaps between median rent and the full monthly cost of owning the median home. A large gap does not automatically mean renting is the better decision, because rent buys no equity and is not fixed for thirty years, but it does show where the market prices ownership at a steep premium.
Where does yours land?
Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.
Top 100
| # | County | State | Monthly saved by renting | Median rent | Monthly to own |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teton County | WY | $7,853 | $1,758 | $9,611 |
| 2 | San Mateo County | CA | $7,563 | $2,893 | $10,456 |
| 3 | Nantucket County | MA | $7,339 | $2,070 | $9,409 |
| 4 | San Francisco County | CA | $7,337 | $2,419 | $9,756 |
| 5 | Marin County | CA | $7,280 | $2,584 | $9,864 |
| 6 | Santa Clara County | CA | $6,985 | $2,814 | $9,799 |
| 7 | Dukes County | MA | $6,429 | $1,371 | $7,800 |
| 8 | New York County | NY | $6,028 | $2,132 | $8,160 |
| 9 | Pitkin County | CO | $5,983 | $1,880 | $7,863 |
| 10 | Falls Church city | VA | $5,330 | $2,205 | $7,535 |
| 11 | Alameda County | CA | $5,281 | $2,318 | $7,599 |
| 12 | Santa Cruz County | CA | $5,013 | $2,172 | $7,185 |
| 13 | Summit County | UT | $4,814 | $1,969 | $6,783 |
| 14 | Kings County | NY | $4,652 | $1,784 | $6,436 |
| 15 | Orange County | CA | $4,185 | $2,352 | $6,537 |
| 16 | Arlington County | VA | $4,172 | $2,275 | $6,447 |
| 17 | Summit County | CO | $4,048 | $1,851 | $5,899 |
| 18 | Maui County | HI | $3,976 | $1,863 | $5,839 |
| 19 | Honolulu County | HI | $3,963 | $2,054 | $6,017 |
| 20 | Napa County | CA | $3,890 | $2,141 | $6,031 |
| 21 | King County | WA | $3,866 | $2,035 | $5,901 |
| 22 | Kauai County | HI | $3,806 | $1,810 | $5,616 |
| 23 | Los Angeles County | CA | $3,753 | $1,893 | $5,646 |
| 24 | Contra Costa County | CA | $3,747 | $2,322 | $6,069 |
| 25 | San Juan County | WA | $3,732 | $1,413 | $5,145 |
| 26 | San Luis Obispo County | CA | $3,711 | $1,899 | $5,610 |
| 27 | Eagle County | CO | $3,693 | $2,032 | $5,725 |
| 28 | San Benito County | CA | $3,576 | $1,922 | $5,498 |
| 29 | San Diego County | CA | $3,553 | $2,154 | $5,707 |
| 30 | Sonoma County | CA | $3,538 | $2,093 | $5,631 |
| 31 | Monroe County | FL | $3,508 | $1,959 | $5,467 |
| 32 | Routt County | CO | $3,431 | $1,845 | $5,276 |
| 33 | Blaine County | ID | $3,420 | $1,217 | $4,637 |
| 34 | Queens County | NY | $3,304 | $1,915 | $5,219 |
| 35 | Ventura County | CA | $3,294 | $2,248 | $5,542 |
| 36 | Elbert County | CO | $3,290 | $1,436 | $4,726 |
| 37 | Westchester County | NY | $3,277 | $1,876 | $5,153 |
| 38 | Ouray County | CO | $3,269 | $1,398 | $4,667 |
| 39 | Richmond County | NY | $3,265 | $1,689 | $4,954 |
| 40 | Alexandria city | VA | $3,263 | $2,031 | $5,294 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | DC | $3,256 | $1,900 | $5,156 |
| 42 | Santa Barbara County | CA | $3,248 | $2,050 | $5,298 |
| 43 | Boulder County | CO | $3,221 | $1,893 | $5,114 |
| 44 | Monterey County | CA | $3,215 | $1,995 | $5,210 |
| 45 | Valley County | ID | $3,151 | $1,011 | $4,162 |
| 46 | Middlesex County | MA | $3,138 | $2,126 | $5,264 |
| 47 | Wasatch County | UT | $3,113 | $1,905 | $5,018 |
| 48 | San Miguel County | CO | $3,105 | $1,173 | $4,278 |
| 49 | Fairfax County | VA | $3,099 | $2,230 | $5,329 |
| 50 | Nassau County | NY | $3,087 | $2,195 | $5,282 |
| 51 | El Dorado County | CA | $3,039 | $1,626 | $4,665 |
| 52 | Western Connecticut Planning Region | CT | $3,037 | $2,060 | $5,097 |
| 53 | Williamson County | TN | $3,014 | $1,895 | $4,909 |
| 54 | Bergen County | NJ | $3,012 | $1,863 | $4,875 |
| 55 | Fairfax city | VA | $3,007 | $2,122 | $5,129 |
| 56 | Gunnison County | CO | $2,991 | $1,191 | $4,182 |
| 57 | Teton County | ID | $2,967 | $1,196 | $4,163 |
| 58 | Loudoun County | VA | $2,946 | $2,317 | $5,263 |
| 59 | Norfolk County | MA | $2,935 | $2,072 | $5,007 |
| 60 | Monmouth County | NJ | $2,932 | $1,771 | $4,703 |
| 61 | Suffolk County | MA | $2,928 | $2,069 | $4,997 |
| 62 | Placer County | CA | $2,881 | $1,991 | $4,872 |
| 63 | Gallatin County | MT | $2,865 | $1,574 | $4,439 |
| 64 | Rockland County | NY | $2,853 | $1,826 | $4,679 |
| 65 | Essex County | MA | $2,846 | $1,673 | $4,519 |
| 66 | Snohomish County | WA | $2,843 | $1,866 | $4,709 |
| 67 | Clear Creek County | CO | $2,834 | $1,230 | $4,064 |
| 68 | Nevada County | CA | $2,788 | $1,635 | $4,423 |
| 69 | Morris County | NJ | $2,783 | $1,860 | $4,643 |
| 70 | Essex County | NJ | $2,782 | $1,459 | $4,241 |
| 71 | Douglas County | CO | $2,752 | $2,095 | $4,847 |
| 72 | Morgan County | UT | $2,747 | $1,493 | $4,240 |
| 73 | Hood River County | OR | $2,715 | $1,381 | $4,096 |
| 74 | Newport County | RI | $2,711 | $1,652 | $4,363 |
| 75 | Barnstable County | MA | $2,690 | $1,596 | $4,286 |
| 76 | Chaffee County | CO | $2,675 | $1,514 | $4,189 |
| 77 | Montgomery County | MD | $2,633 | $2,030 | $4,663 |
| 78 | Yolo County | CA | $2,617 | $1,757 | $4,374 |
| 79 | Deschutes County | OR | $2,605 | $1,674 | $4,279 |
| 80 | Douglas County | NV | $2,591 | $1,545 | $4,136 |
| 81 | Clackamas County | OR | $2,587 | $1,693 | $4,280 |
| 82 | Clarke County | VA | $2,578 | $1,360 | $3,938 |
| 83 | Hunterdon County | NJ | $2,562 | $1,707 | $4,269 |
| 84 | Bronx County | NY | $2,550 | $1,436 | $3,986 |
| 85 | Union County | NJ | $2,541 | $1,664 | $4,205 |
| 86 | Jefferson County | CO | $2,535 | $1,792 | $4,327 |
| 87 | Travis County | TX | $2,529 | $1,669 | $4,198 |
| 88 | Fauquier County | VA | $2,526 | $1,561 | $4,087 |
| 89 | Broomfield County | CO | $2,514 | $2,074 | $4,588 |
| 90 | Somerset County | NJ | $2,509 | $1,921 | $4,430 |
| 91 | Bristol County | RI | $2,506 | $1,348 | $3,854 |
| 92 | Kendall County | TX | $2,504 | $1,576 | $4,080 |
| 93 | Howard County | MD | $2,500 | $2,038 | $4,538 |
| 94 | Hudson County | NJ | $2,472 | $1,811 | $4,283 |
| 95 | Skamania County | WA | $2,453 | $1,024 | $3,477 |
| 96 | Whatcom County | WA | $2,450 | $1,465 | $3,915 |
| 97 | La Plata County | CO | $2,443 | $1,409 | $3,852 |
| 98 | Washington County | RI | $2,435 | $1,303 | $3,738 |
| 99 | Denver County | CO | $2,420 | $1,770 | $4,190 |
| 100 | Plymouth County | MA | $2,414 | $1,655 | $4,069 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning by state
The same ranking within a single state.
Alabama67Alaska26Arizona15Arkansas75California58Colorado64Florida67Georgia159Idaho44Illinois102Indiana92Iowa99Kansas105Kentucky120Louisiana64Maine16Maryland24Massachusetts14Michigan83Minnesota87Mississippi82Missouri115Montana56Nebraska93Nevada16New Jersey21New Mexico33New York62North Carolina100North Dakota53Ohio88Oklahoma77Oregon36Pennsylvania67South Carolina46South Dakota65Tennessee95Texas250Utah29Vermont14Virginia133Washington39West Virginia55Wisconsin72Wyoming23