Rent vs buy in Brownsville, TX
In Brownsville, Texas, typical rent is $1,703 /mo and a typical home costs $194,705.
Buying comes out ahead by $48k over 7 years
Using 20% down and today's mortgage rate, the calculation relies on Brownsville's typical rent and home value. The break-even point lands in year 3.
An opinion, clearly labelled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. If you change a number, the stamp changes with it.
- Owning comes out ahead by
- $48k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Occurs in year 3 when owning catches up
- Actual cost to own
- Per month: $1,882 year 1, against $1,703 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp takes Brownsville's typical figures for rent and home value. Your rent, price and years may change the outcome.
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Enter the rent, price and down payment you want to use. Those figures change what the stamp shows.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Brownsville?
Over 7 years, buying costs $48,109 less once you count the money you get back when you sell. In year 3, the net cost of owning falls under renting and remains lower.
Rent Owning Net cost to date, by year
Brownsville: average rent compared with the mortgage payment
The rent and mortgage don't tell you everything. Every monthly cost for year 1 appears here, using Brownsville's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,703 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,062 | $936 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $273 | 1.68% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $114 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $162 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,610 | $126 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $316 | At 8.3% a year, here's what the cash would earn |
| Buying costs, spread out | $81 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $1,882 | Cash paid out, minus the equity part, plus both lines above |
Brownsville's verdict, explained by the numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $194,705
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,703 /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, Texas, 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, Brownsville
- 1.68% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Brownsville
- $114 /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 could change the Brownsville result?
These lines mark each spot where Brownsville's 7-year verdict changes, with everything else held as it is.
When renting wins
- Annual home price growth remains below 1.3%. The calculation relies on 4.7%, which is Texas's long-run rate.
- A mortgage rate above 11.57% remains in place.
- The rent for a home like this is less than $1,190 each month, while the typical rent here is $1,703.
- You move before the year 3 mark.
When buying wins
- Home prices grow more than 1.3% each year.
- You lock in a mortgage rate under 11.57% (today's is 7.24%).
- If you rented that same home, your monthly rent would exceed $1,190.
- You remain for 3 years or longer.
Brownsville compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Brownsville | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $194,705 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,703 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 9.5 (#796 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Property tax | 1.68% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 38% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Texas
- Toss-up. In Houston, TX. It's a toss-up, with renting ahead by $2k.
- Rent. In San Antonio, TX. Renting comes out ahead by $10k.
- Rent is favored. Dallas, TX. You save $20k by renting.
- Renting is favored in Fort Worth, TX. You save $17k by renting.
- Rent. Austin, TX. Here renting leads by $111k.
- Toss-up. El Paso, TX. It's a toss-up, with buying ahead by $2k.
- Rent is favored. Arlington, TX. You save $34k by renting.
- Buying is favored. Corpus Christi, TX. You save $4k by buying.
- Rent. Plano, TX. Here renting leads by $105k.
- Toss-up. Lubbock, TX. It's a toss-up, with buying ahead by $2k.
- Rent is favored. Laredo, TX. You save $20k by renting.
- Rent is favored. Irving, TX. You save $36k by renting.