Rent vs buy in Brentwood, CA
Typical rent is $3,420 /mo in Brentwood, California, and a typical home is $782,072.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $14k
Using Brentwood's typical rent and home value, plus 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point arrives in year 8.
Our clearly labeled opinion shows the math. These are estimates, not quotes. If you change a number, the stamp changes.
- Rent leads by
- $14k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 8 when owning catches up
- True cost of ownership
- $6,764 /mo year 1, against $3,420 rent
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In Brentwood, is it cheaper to rent or buy?
If you count the money returned when you sell, renting costs $14,410 less over 7 years. Renting costs less during the first 7 years. By year 8, owning has caught up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost to date, by year.
Average rent compared with mortgage payments in Brentwood
Rent and mortgage payments aren't the whole story. Every monthly expense during year 1 is shown at Brentwood's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $3,420 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $4,264 | $3,758 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $645 | 0.99% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $112 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $652 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $5,673 | $506 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,271 | Annual earnings on cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $326 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $6,764 | Subtract the equity portion from cash out, then add the two lines above. |
The Brentwood figures behind the verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $782,072
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $3,420 /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, California, 1995 to 2025
- 5.3% 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, Brentwood
- 0.99% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Brentwood
- $112 /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 reverse the Brentwood result?
Each line shows where Brentwood's 7-year verdict changes, while all other factors stay the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by less than 5.5% a year; we use California's long-run rate of 5.3%.
- The mortgage rate remains above 6.91%.
- A similar home rents for less than $3,570 each month. The typical rent here is $3,420.
- Your move happens before year 8.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices increase by more than 5.5% each year.
- You choose a mortgage rate below 6.91% and lock it. Today's rate is 7.24%.
- Monthly rent for the same home would exceed $3,570.
- You remain there for 8 years or more.
How Brentwood compares with 812 other cities
| Measure | Brentwood | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $782,072 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $3,420 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 19.1 (#384 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.2% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3.3% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.99% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 18% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More California cities
- Rent. Los Angeles, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $111k.
- Rent. San Diego, CA. Renting saves $108k.
- Rent. San Jose, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $210k.
- Rent. San Francisco, CA. Renting saves $128k.
- Buy. Fresno, CA. Buying saves $22k.
- Toss-up. Sacramento, CA. Renting leads by $3k.
- Rent. In Long Beach, CA, renting leads by $111k.
- Rent. Oakland, CA. Renting saves $44k.
- Buy. Bakersfield, CA. Buying saves $11k.
- Rent. Anaheim, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $115k.
- Buy. Stockton, CA. Buying saves $16k.
- Rent. Riverside, CA. Renting saves $27k.