RealtyTrac: Rental returns down in 59% of U.S. counties Buying more affordable than renting in 66 percent of counties. Major counties where it is still cheaper to buy than to rent include Miami-Dade County, Florida (42 percent of income to buy), San Bernardino County, California in Inland Southern California (36 percent), Clark County, Nevada in the Las Vegas metro area (27 percent), Broward County, Florida in South Florida (35 percent), and Wayne County, Michigan in the Detroit metro area (23 percent).