Department of Numbers

Buchanan County Missouri Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Buchanan County MO was $772 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Buchanan County was $761 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Buchanan County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Buchanan County rental vacancy rates, Buchanan County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Buchanan County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Buchanan County Missouri (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Missouri Median Gross Rent $834 -1.30% +3.35%
Buchanan County MO Median Gross Rent $772 -0.26% +6.78%

Buchanan County MO Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Buchanan County peaked in real terms in 2015 at $793 and is now $21 (2.65%) lower. Average gross rent for Buchanan County peaked in real terms in 2015 at $788 and is now $27 (3.43%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Buchanan County MO Median, Buchanan County MO Average, Missouri Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Buchanan County

Date US
Median
Missouri
Median
Buchanan County MO
Median
Buchanan County MO
Average
2019 $1,097 $834 $772 $761
2018 $1,077 $845 $774 $691
2017 $1,043 $825 $747 $686
2016 $1,027 $807 $723 $715
2015 $1,017 $809 $793 $788
2014 $986 $796 $723 $696
2013 $953 $773 $762 $751
2012 $940 $751 $702 $704
2011 $941 $765 $688 $675
2010 $955 $762 $662 $691
2009 $960 $761 $728 $710

more history ...

Buchanan County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Buchanan County Missouri was 8.03% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Buchanan County Missouri

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Missouri 5.15% -1.42% -1.66%
Buchanan County MO 8.03% +0.42% -4.29%

Trends in Buchanan County MO Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Buchanan County peaked in 2016 at 12.32%. Since then it has fallen by 4.29% to 8.03%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Buchanan County MO, Missouri, US

Rental vacancy rate in Missouri

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Buchanan County

Date US Missouri Buchanan County MO
2019 5.97% 5.15% 8.03%
2018 6.15% 6.57% 7.61%
2017 6.18% 6.40% 11.90%
2016 5.89% 6.81% 12.32%
2015 5.85% 6.43% 10.25%
2014 6.32% 7.16% 11.79%
2013 6.49% 6.86%
2012 6.77% 6.74%
2011 7.40% 8.22%
2010 8.17% 8.25%
2009 8.43% 8.24% 7.07%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Buchanan County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Buchanan County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 19.74% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Buchanan County Missouri Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Missouri 17.43% -0.85% -0.45%
Buchanan County MO 19.74% +3.17% +2.69%

Trends in Buchanan County MO Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Buchanan County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2013 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.79%. Since then it has fallen by 0.05% to 19.74%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Buchanan County MO, Missouri, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Buchanan County Missouri

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Buchanan County Missouri

Date US Missouri Buchanan County MO
2019 20.03% 17.43% 19.74%
2018 20.50% 18.28% 16.58%
2017 20.13% 17.92% 18.87%
2016 20.43% 17.88% 17.05%
2015 20.63% 18.23% 18.21%
2014 20.89% 18.71% 17.58%
2013 20.78% 18.77% 19.79%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 18.97%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 17.93%
2010 20.50% 18.47% 17.06%
2009 20.12% 17.72% 18.24%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Buchanan County Missouri

You can calculate the renter fraction in Buchanan County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Buchanan County as a fraction of total Buchanan County households. In 2019 42.93% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Buchanan County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Missouri 32.88% -0.34% -1.04%
Buchanan County MO 42.93% +7.13% +5.70%

Trends in the Buchanan County MO Renter Fraction

At 42.93%, the 2019 household based renter fraction in Buchanan County was at its highest level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Buchanan County MO, Missouri, US

Fraction of renters in Buchanan County

History of Buchanan County Renter Fraction

Date US Missouri Buchanan County MO
2019 35.89% 32.88% 42.93%
2018 36.05% 33.22% 35.80%
2017 36.13% 33.05% 38.06%
2016 36.88% 33.92% 37.23%
2015 36.97% 33.87% 34.56%
2014 36.90% 33.09% 37.30%
2013 36.50% 33.03% 39.24%
2012 36.09% 32.53% 35.79%
2011 35.42% 31.95% 36.19%
2010 34.65% 31.02% 36.57%
2009 34.13% 30.92% 31.52%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.