Rent vs buy in Bartlett, TN
In Bartlett, Tennessee, the typical monthly rent is $1,858 and the typical home price is $318,202.
Buying comes out ahead by $17k over 7 years
Using Bartlett's typical rent and home value, 20% down, and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point arrives in year 6.
An opinion with a clear label and the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes whenever a number changes.
- Owning costs less by
- $17k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 6 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $2,819 /mo year 1, against $1,858 rent
Change my numbers
Bartlett's typical rent and home value are used for the stamp. Your rent, price and number of years may change the result.
Do your figures differ from the city's?
Enter your rent, home price and down payment. The stamp updates with your entries.
Is renting or buying cheaper in Bartlett?
Over 7 years, buying costs $16,506 less, including the money you get back when you sell. In year 6, owning's net cost falls below renting's and remains lower.
Renting. Owning. Net cost to date, by year.
Average rent compared with the mortgage payment in Bartlett
Rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story. Here are all monthly costs in year 1 at Bartlett's typical home price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,858 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,735 | $1,529 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $239 | 0.9% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $136 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $265 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,375 | $206 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $517 | What the cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $133 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,819 | Cash out minus the equity portion, plus the two amounts above |
The numbers behind Bartlett's verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $318,202
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,858 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Tennessee, 1995 to 2025
- 4.7% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Bartlett
- 0.9% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Bartlett
- $136 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
What would flip Bartlett's result?
Each line marks where Bartlett's 7-year result changes. All other factors stay the same.
Renting is better when
- In this case, home price growth is below 4.1% each year. We use 4.7%, Tennessee's rate over the long term.
- The rate on the mortgage stays above 8.15%.
- A similar home rents for under $1,680 a month. The typical rent here is $1,858.
- Your move happens before year 6.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices increase by more than 4.1% a year.
- Today's rate is 7.24%, and you lock a mortgage rate under 8.15%.
- The same home would cost more than $1,680 a month to rent.
- You remain in the home for at least 6 years.
How Bartlett compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Bartlett | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $318,202 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,858 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 14.3 (#669 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.2% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 2.4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.90% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 14% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Tennessee
- Rent. Nashville, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $24k.
- Buy. Memphis, TN. Buying comes out ahead by $36k.
- Rent. Knoxville, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $10k.
- Rent. Chattanooga, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $11k.
- Rent. Clarksville, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $19k.
- Rent. Murfreesboro, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $36k.
- Rent. Franklin, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $204k.
- Buy. Johnson City, TN. The advantage is $4k for buying.
- Buy. Jackson, TN. Buying comes out ahead by $25k.
- Rent. Hendersonville, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $77k.
- Rent. Smyrna, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $19k.
- Rent. Spring Hill, TN. Renting comes out ahead by $45k.