According to ATTOM’s just released 2025 Rental Affordability Report, in over half of the county-level markets across the U.S., owning a home is more affordable than renting a three-bedroom property.
WATCH: ATTOM #FiguresFriday – Top 10 U.S. Counties Most Affordable for Owning a Home
The report reveals that both owning and renting remain challenging for the average U.S. worker, often consuming 25% to 60% of their wages. However, in nearly 60% of the 341 counties analyzed, major homeownership expenses for a typical single-family home still take up a smaller share of average wages than renting a three-bedroom residence.
ATTOM’s 2025 rental affordability analysis found that despite median home prices rising faster than average rents over the past year, owning remains the more affordable option for those who can afford a down payment.
The analysis also found that over the past year, median prices for single-family homes have risen more—or declined less—than average three-bedroom rents in 225 of the 341 counties analyzed (66%). This report includes counties with a population of at least 100,000, sufficient single-family home sales in 2024, and adequate data on three-bedroom rent changes from 2024 to 2025.
Also according to the 2025 analysis, the largest counties where median home prices have increased more—or declined less—than average three-bedroom rents over the past year include Los Angeles County, CA; Cook County (Chicago), IL; Maricopa County (Phoenix), AZ; San Diego County, CA; and Orange County, CA.
The report also notes that affordability differences between owning and renting vary across U.S. regions, with homeownership being most favorable in the Midwest and South, followed by the Northeast. In the Midwest, owning a home requires a smaller share of average wages in about 80% of the counties analyzed, compared to 60% in the South and roughly half in the Northeast. The West, however, bucks this trend. In about 80% of western markets, renting remains the more financially viable option.
ATTOM’s 2025 rental affordability report states that among the 341 counties analyzed, the largest affordability advantages for homeownership are found in Suffolk County, NY (outside New York City) (major home-ownership expenses on typical homes purchased in 2024 consume 59 percent of average local wages while average three-bedroom rents require 159 percent); Atlantic County (Atlantic City), NJ (48 percent for owning versus 111 percent or renting); Collier County (Naples), FL (79 percent versus 127 percent); Indian River County (Vero Beach), FL (47 percent versus 83 percent) and Charlotte County (Punta Gorda), FL (43 percent versus 69 percent).
In this post, we dig deep into the data to uncover the top 10 counties, among counties with a population of 100,000 or more, 100 or more sales and sufficient rental data, where it’s most affordable to own a home: Jefferson County, Alabama (major home-ownership expenses on typical homes purchased in 2024 consume 14.8 percent of average local wages); Wayne County, Michigan (15.1 percent); Peoria County, Illinois (15.3 percent); Montgomery County, Alabama (16.1 percent); Mobile County, Alabama (16.9%); Saint Louis City County, Missouri (17.4 percent); Shelby County, Tennessee (17.8 percent); Lucas County, Ohio (18.3 percent); Hinds County, Mississippi (18.3 percent); Comanche County, Oklahoma (18.7 percent).
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Written by: Megan Hunt