Rent vs buy in Arcadia, CA
In Arcadia, California, the typical rent is $3,412 /mo and the typical home is $1,375,605.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $229k
The figures use Arcadia's typical rent and home value, along with 20% down and the rate on mortgages today. The break-even point lands in year 23.
An opinion, clearly labelled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes when you change a number.
- Renting is ahead by
- $229k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 23 when owning catches up
- Real cost of owning
- $11,483 per month year 1, against $3,412 rent
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Arcadia?
Across 7 years, renting costs less by $228,520, counting the money that comes back to you when you sell. For the first 22 years, renting stays cheaper. In year 23, owning catches up.
Rent. Owning. Net cost so far, year by year.
Average rent compared with the mortgage payment in Arcadia
Rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story, so here are all the monthly costs in year 1, based on Arcadia's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $3,412 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $7,500 | $6,610 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $791 | 0.69% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $126 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $1,146 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $9,563 | $889 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $2,236 | What the cash would earn each year at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $573 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $11,483 | Cash out, less the equity share, plus the two lines above |
Arcadia's verdict and the numbers behind it
- Typical home value from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $1,375,605
- Typical rent from Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- $3,412 a month
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, and the engine doesn't model it.
- 20%
- Mortgage rate, from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home pricesFHFA index of house prices in California, 1995 to 2025
- 5.3% each year
- Rent growthCPI primary residence rent, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- A yearly rate of 3.5%
- What savings earn60% S&P 500 with dividends plus 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced each year, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% each year
- Property tax, from Census ACS 2020-2024, Arcadia
- 0.69% of the value
- Home insurance, from Census ACS 2020-2024, Arcadia
- $126 a month
- Repair and upkeep costsFannie Mae, range of 1% to 4%, at the low end
- Each year, 1% of value
- Purchase costsFreddie Mac, 2% to 5% range, at the middle
- Price times 3.5%
- Selling costsAgent commission and closing costs
- 6% of the price
What could change the result in Arcadia?
Every line marks where the 7-year verdict in Arcadia flips, and everything else stays as it is.
Renting wins if
- Home prices grow at less than 7.1% a year (we apply 5.3%, California's rate over the long run).
- Mortgage rate holds above 4.26%.
- For a home like this, monthly rent runs under $5,860 (typical here: $3,412).
- Your move comes before year 23.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home values grow at a rate above 7.1% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 4.26% (today's is 7.24%).
- You would pay more than $5,860 each month to rent that same home.
- You stay put for 23 years or more.
Arcadia compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Arcadia | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $1,375,605 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $3,412 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 33.6 (#38 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.5% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4.6% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.69% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 42% | 42% |
The data comes from Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Cities elsewhere in California
- In Los Angeles, CA, renting wins by $111k.
- In San Diego, CA, renting wins by $108k.
- By $210k, renting comes out ahead in San Jose, CA.
- By $128k, renting comes out ahead in San Francisco, CA.
- Buying is ahead in Fresno, CA, by $22k.