Department of Numbers

Butte County California Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Butte County CA was $1,087 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Butte County was $1,141 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 Butte County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

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

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Butte County California (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
California Median Gross Rent $1,614 +4.33% +12.08%
Butte County CA Median Gross Rent $1,087 +0.18% +5.23%

Butte County CA Real Gross Rent Trends

At $1,087, real median gross rent in Butte County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005. At $1,141, real average gross rent in Butte County was at its highest level in 2019 since the series began in 2005.

Real Gross Rent: Butte County CA Median, Butte County CA Average, California Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Butte County

Date US
Median
California
Median
Butte County CA
Median
Butte County CA
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,614 $1,087 $1,141
2018 $1,077 $1,547 $1,085 $1,070
2017 $1,043 $1,492 $1,031 $1,051
2016 $1,027 $1,440 $1,033 $1,096
2015 $1,017 $1,391 $999 $1,012
2014 $986 $1,339 $936 $945
2013 $953 $1,289 $910 $977
2012 $940 $1,277 $948 $970
2011 $941 $1,268 $893 $913
2010 $955 $1,300 $963 $1,007
2009 $960 $1,316 $925 $977

more history ...

Butte 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 Butte County California was 5.64% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Butte County California

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
California 4.06% +0.09% +0.75%
Butte County CA 5.64% -2.06% -2.21%

Trends in Butte County CA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Butte County peaked in 2015 at 7.88%. Since then it has fallen by 2.24% to 5.64%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Butte County CA, California, US

Rental vacancy rate in California

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Butte County

Date US California Butte County CA
2019 5.97% 4.06% 5.64%
2018 6.15% 3.97% 7.70%
2017 6.18% 3.49% 7.59%
2016 5.89% 3.31% 7.85%
2015 5.85% 3.33% 7.88%
2014 6.32% 3.90% 5.74%
2013 6.49% 4.22% 3.33%
2012 6.77% 4.51% 5.75%
2011 7.40% 4.94% 4.54%
2010 8.17% 5.86% 4.95%
2009 8.43% 5.76% 6.09%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Butte County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Butte County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 20.85% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Butte County California Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
California 24.08% -0.15% -0.28%
Butte County CA 20.85% -3.92% -5.37%

Trends in Butte County CA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Butte County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2016 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 26.22%. Since then it has fallen by 5.37% to 20.85%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Butte County CA, California, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Butte County California

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Butte County California

Date US California Butte County CA
2019 20.03% 24.08% 20.85%
2018 20.50% 24.23% 24.77%
2017 20.13% 24.18% 24.46%
2016 20.43% 24.36% 26.22%
2015 20.63% 24.39% 24.77%
2014 20.89% 24.57% 25.12%
2013 20.78% 24.40% 24.25%
2012 20.65% 24.69% 26.10%
2011 20.70% 24.59% 25.33%
2010 20.50% 24.18% 24.83%
2009 20.12% 23.52% 23.32%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Butte County California

You can calculate the renter fraction in Butte 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 Butte County as a fraction of total Butte County households. In 2019 40.87% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Butte County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
California 45.14% -0.04% -1.22%
Butte County CA 40.87% -0.53% -0.01%

Trends in the Butte County CA Renter Fraction

The Butte County household renter fraction peaked in in 2005 at 42.89% and is now 2.02% below that level. From a recent low of 38.61% in 2009, the household based renter fraction has now grown by 2.26%. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Butte County CA, California, US

Fraction of renters in Butte County

History of Butte County Renter Fraction

Date US California Butte County CA
2019 35.89% 45.14% 40.87%
2018 36.05% 45.18% 41.40%
2017 36.13% 45.21% 42.00%
2016 36.88% 46.36% 40.88%
2015 36.97% 46.41% 42.46%
2014 36.90% 46.27% 40.68%
2013 36.50% 46.21% 42.51%
2012 36.09% 45.97% 40.56%
2011 35.42% 45.12% 41.72%
2010 34.65% 44.36% 40.53%
2009 34.13% 43.43% 38.61%

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.