Rent vs buy in Brookhaven, GA
In Brookhaven, Georgia, the typical rent is $1,843 a month and the typical home is $742,959.
Renting comes out ahead by $199k over 7 years
Using Brookhaven's typical rent, home value, 20% down, plus today's mortgage rate. Within 30 years, break-even never arrives.
Clearly labelled opinion, math shown. The numbers are estimates, not quotes. If you change a number, the stamp changes with it.
- Ahead: renting
- $199k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- 30 years or more owning never catches up sooner
- Real cost of owning
- $6,423 a month year 1, against $1,843 rent
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In Brookhaven, is renting cheaper or buying?
Counting the money that comes back to you when you sell, renting comes out $199,472 cheaper over 7 years. In every year shown, renting's net cost sits below owning's, and owning never catches up within 30 years.
Renting wins. Buying. Running net cost, year by year.
Brookhaven: average rent vs mortgage payment
Rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story. Here are all monthly costs in year 1 for Brookhaven's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,843 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $4,051 | $3,570 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $582 | 0.94% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $134 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $619 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $5,386 | $480 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,208 | Annual earnings on the cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $310 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $6,423 | Cash out minus the equity portion, plus the two amounts above |
The numbers behind Brookhaven's verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $742,959
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,843 /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, Georgia, 1995 to 2025
- 4.4% 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, Brookhaven
- 0.94% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Brookhaven
- $134 /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 change the result in Brookhaven?
Each line marks where Brookhaven's 7-year verdict changes, while all other values stay the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home values grow slower than 7.4% a year, and Georgia's long-run rate of 4.4% is what we use.
- The mortgage rate remains above 2.36%.
- A similar home rents for under $3,980 a month. The local typical rent is $1,843.
- You move at any time during the next 30 years. At these figures, owning never catches up.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Annual home-price growth exceeds 7.4%.
- The mortgage rate you secure sits below 2.36% (today's rate is 7.24%).
- For the same home, monthly rent would exceed $3,980.
How Brookhaven compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Brookhaven | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $742,959 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,843 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 33.6 (#39 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.4% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 0.4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.94% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 47% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Cities in Georgia besides Brookhaven
- Rent. Atlanta, GA. Renting is ahead by $13k.
- Buy. Columbus, GA. Buying is ahead by $31k.
- Buy. Augusta, GA. Buying is ahead by $27k.
- Buy. Macon, GA. Buying is ahead by $19k.
- Savannah, GA is a toss-up, with renting ahead by $1k.
- Renting leads by $5k in Athens, GA.
- Renting leads by $184k in Sandy Springs, GA.
- Renting leads by $159k in Roswell, GA.
- Buying wins by $21k in Warner Robins, GA. Buy.
- Renting leads by $107k in Johns Creek, GA.
- Buying leads by $7k in Mableton, GA.
- Rent. Alpharetta, GA. Renting is ahead by $154k.