Rent vs buy in Buena Park, CA
In California, typical rent in Buena Park, California is $2,590 /mo, and the typical home costs $928,677.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $121k
Today's mortgage rate applies, with 20% down, using Buena Park's typical home value and rent. The break-even point arrives in year 17.
Our opinion, clearly labelled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Adjust any number, and the stamp changes with it.
- Renting leads by
- $121k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 17 when owning catches up
- Owning's true cost
- $7,683 /mo year 1, against $2,590 rent
Change my numbers
Buena Park's typical home value and typical rent are the stamp's inputs. You can reverse the result with your rent, price and years.
Do these numbers differ from the city's?
Provide the rent, price and down payment you want to use. The stamp updates with those numbers.
Which costs less in Buena Park, renting or buying?
Over 7 years, renting saves $120,561 once you count the money returned when you sell. For the first 16 years, renting costs less. In year 17, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost so far for each year.
Buena Park: average rent vs mortgage payment
Rent and mortgage payments don't cover everything. At Buena Park's typical price, these are all the monthly costs for year 1.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,590 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $5,063 | $4,463 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $457 | 0.59% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $93 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $774 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $6,387 | $600 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,509 | At 8.3% a year, this is what the cash would earn. |
| Buying costs, spread out | $387 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $7,683 | Cash out after subtracting the equity portion, then add the two entries above. |
Buena Park numbers behind the verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $928,677
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,590 /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, Buena Park
- 0.59% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Buena Park
- $93 /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 result in Buena Park?
Each line shows where Buena Park's 7-year verdict changes, with all other factors staying as they are.
You win by renting when
- The growth rate for home prices stays below 6.8% a year. California's long-run rate of 5.3% is used here.
- A mortgage rate above 4.92% is maintained.
- Homes like this one rent below $3,880 monthly, and the typical rent here is $2,590.
- Your move happens before year 17.
When buying wins
- Home prices rise by more than 6.8% each year.
- You lock in a rate under 4.92% on the mortgage (today's rate is 7.24%).
- You'd pay more than $3,880 a month to rent the same home.
- You stay for 17 years or longer.
Buena Park compared with 812 other cities
| Measure | Buena Park | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $928,677 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,590 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 29.9 (#71 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.4% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 5.5% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.59% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 45% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Across California: other cities
- Renting wins by $111k in Los Angeles, CA.
- Renting wins by $108k in San Diego, CA.
- Renting wins by $210k in San Jose, CA.
- Renting wins by $128k in San Francisco, CA.
- Buying wins by $22k in Fresno, CA.
- It's a toss-up in Sacramento, CA, with renting ahead by $3k.
- Renting wins by $111k in Long Beach, CA.
- Renting wins by $44k in Oakland, CA.
- Buying wins by $11k in Bakersfield, CA.
- Renting wins by $115k in Anaheim, CA.
- Buying wins by $16k in Stockton, CA.
- Renting wins by $27k in Riverside, CA.