Rent vs buy by city
Here’s the verdict for 813 US cities with populations of 50,000+, based on Zillow rent and home value data, largest first. Pick a column and sort it.
- Renting comes out ahead
- 580 cities, over 7 years
- Buying comes out ahead
- 176 cities, over 7 years
- Too close to call
- 57 within 2% of each other
Each city and its verdict
Sources: Zillow Home Value and Observed Rent indexes, with verdicts based on our rent vs buy method using 20% down over 7 years.
| Houston, TX | Toss-up | renting ahead by $2k | year 8 | 14.0 | $259,465 | $1,544 |
| San Francisco, CA | Rent | $128k | year 13 | 25.1 | $1,441,021 | $4,784 |
| Seattle, WA | Rent | $128k | year 21 | 30.8 | $822,572 | $2,227 |
| Louisville, KY | Rent | $20k | year 13 | 16.4 | $261,376 | $1,330 |
| Portland, OR | Rent | $82k | year 24 | 25.4 | $524,318 | $1,719 |
| Fresno, CA | Buy | $22k | year 6 | 16.5 | $384,885 | $1,945 |
| Raleigh, NC | Rent | $61k | year 24 | 22.5 | $424,663 | $1,572 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | Rent | $17k | year 9 | 21.3 | $439,542 | $1,717 |
| Tulsa, OK | Rent | $7k | year 9 | 14.3 | $217,760 | $1,273 |
| Arlington, TX | Rent | $34k | year 16 | 17.4 | $306,472 | $1,468 |
| Aurora, CO | Rent | $22k | year 10 | 21.4 | $447,833 | $1,742 |
| Newark, NJ | Rent | $74k | 30+ years | 19.0 | $480,494 | $2,111 |
| Madison, WI | Rent | $79k | 30+ years | 19.3 | $424,543 | $1,837 |
| Chula Vista, CA | Rent | $72k | year 13 | 24.0 | $845,328 | $2,935 |
| Garland, TX | Rent | $12k | year 10 | 15.0 | $280,515 | $1,560 |
| Des Moines, IA | Rent | $29k | 30+ years | 15.4 | $208,053 | $1,129 |
| Grand Prairie, TX | Rent | $20k | year 12 | 15.6 | $312,607 | $1,673 |
| Augusta, GA | Buy | $27k | year 4 | 11.6 | $187,663 | $1,344 |
| Oxnard, CA | Rent | $33k | year 10 | 21.8 | $758,052 | $2,894 |
| Peoria, AZ | Rent | $17k | year 9 | 21.6 | $480,440 | $1,851 |
| Vancouver, WA | Rent | $39k | year 12 | 23.0 | $498,160 | $1,803 |
| Birmingham, AL | Buy | $44k | year 2 | 8.6 | $134,165 | $1,305 |
| Providence, RI | Rent | $6k | year 8 | 16.4 | $431,740 | $2,190 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Buy | $25k | year 6 | 15.8 | $509,743 | $2,697 |
| Akron, OH | Buy | $19k | year 4 | 9.8 | $138,865 | $1,176 |
| Clarksville, TN | Rent | $19k | year 11 | 19.3 | $317,914 | $1,372 |
| Newport News, VA | Toss-up | buying ahead by $2k | year 7 | 15.3 | $291,926 | $1,593 |
| Pembroke Pines, FL | Buy | $22k | year 6 | 15.8 | $486,731 | $2,570 |
| Shreveport, LA | Buy | $21k | year 4 | 10.5 | $145,457 | $1,149 |
| Surprise, AZ | Buy | $18k | year 6 | 17.9 | $416,014 | $1,942 |
| Lancaster, CA | Buy | $31k | year 5 | 15.6 | $460,943 | $2,460 |
| Paterson, NJ | Rent | $163k | 30+ years | 23.9 | $540,919 | $1,889 |
| Hayward, CA | Rent | $78k | year 14 | 25.7 | $816,424 | $2,652 |
| Savannah, GA | Toss-up | renting ahead by $1k | year 8 | 15.5 | $318,893 | $1,712 |
| McAllen, TX | Rent | $8k | year 9 | 14.5 | $226,801 | $1,300 |
| Midland, TX | Rent | $27k | year 13 | 17.5 | $328,375 | $1,565 |
| Orange, CA | Rent | $160k | year 19 | 30.7 | $1,120,386 | $3,037 |
| Sterling Heights, MI | Rent | $32k | year 17 | 16.2 | $304,835 | $1,567 |
| Santa Clara, CA | Rent | $263k | year 22 | 34.6 | $1,642,638 | $3,958 |
| Norman, OK | Rent | $20k | year 13 | 15.4 | $260,448 | $1,407 |
| Pearland, TX | Rent | $48k | year 20 | 16.6 | $377,993 | $1,898 |
| West Palm Beach, FL | Buy | $38k | year 5 | 14.3 | $404,711 | $2,365 |
| Allentown, PA | Rent | $33k | year 17 | 15.6 | $315,694 | $1,686 |
| Topeka, KS | Toss-up | renting ahead by $2k | year 8 | 13.0 | $195,299 | $1,249 |
| Lakeland, FL | Buy | $26k | year 5 | 15.3 | $309,422 | $1,687 |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | Rent | $99k | year 14 | 25.5 | $1,027,863 | $3,357 |
| Vallejo, CA | Rent | $9k | year 8 | 19.6 | $517,277 | $2,200 |
| Arvada, CO | Rent | $47k | year 12 | 23.7 | $593,478 | $2,088 |
| Independence, MO | Buy | $9k | year 6 | 12.6 | $210,944 | $1,395 |
| Lowell, MA | Rent | $9k | year 8 | 17.8 | $481,510 | $2,252 |
| Las Cruces, NM | Rent | $22k | year 13 | 16.6 | $287,447 | $1,439 |
| West Jordan, UT | Rent | $65k | year 16 | 27.0 | $555,182 | $1,713 |
| New Braunfels, TX | Rent | $34k | year 15 | 18.4 | $345,353 | $1,560 |
| Miami Gardens, FL | Buy | $31k | year 5 | 15.7 | $474,495 | $2,521 |
| Conroe, TX | Rent | $28k | year 14 | 16.5 | $310,592 | $1,567 |
| Allen, TX | Rent | $108k | 30+ years | 23.4 | $487,619 | $1,734 |
| Davie, FL | Rent | $8k | year 8 | 17.7 | $515,457 | $2,432 |
| Pueblo, CO | Buy | $5k | year 7 | 17.7 | $281,571 | $1,323 |
| Hillsboro, OR | Rent | $44k | year 13 | 21.6 | $509,612 | $1,969 |
| Costa Mesa, CA | Rent | $262k | year 26 | 37.9 | $1,419,109 | $3,121 |
| Jurupa Valley, CA | Rent | $10k | year 8 | 20.5 | $670,238 | $2,727 |
| West Covina, CA | Rent | $92k | year 15 | 27.3 | $835,380 | $2,552 |
| Boulder, CO | Rent | $147k | year 21 | 32.1 | $937,901 | $2,435 |
| Palm Coast, FL | Buy | $32k | year 5 | 15.1 | $343,894 | $1,897 |
| Rialto, CA | Buy | $13k | year 7 | 18.3 | $586,960 | $2,675 |
| El Monte, CA | Rent | $74k | year 14 | 25.6 | $752,488 | $2,451 |
| Fayetteville, AR | Rent | $54k | 30+ years | 20.0 | $379,367 | $1,581 |
| Suffolk, VA | Toss-up | renting ahead by $1k | year 8 | 15.9 | $386,848 | $2,028 |
| San Mateo, CA | Rent | $282k | year 23 | 35.2 | $1,674,908 | $3,968 |
| Chico, CA | Rent | $45k | year 14 | 24.5 | $458,244 | $1,561 |
| Boca Raton, FL | Buy | $20k | year 6 | 16.3 | $580,267 | $2,967 |
| Georgetown, TX | Rent | $72k | 30+ years | 21.9 | $419,666 | $1,596 |
| New Bedford, MA | Rent | $40k | year 14 | 20.2 | $439,098 | $1,811 |
| Plantation, FL | Buy | $8k | year 7 | 16.6 | $492,003 | $2,466 |
| Kenosha, WI | Rent | $15k | year 11 | 14.4 | $281,730 | $1,627 |
| Beaverton, OR | Rent | $65k | year 18 | 23.2 | $520,242 | $1,871 |
| San Marcos, CA | Rent | $78k | year 13 | 24.0 | $953,656 | $3,311 |
| Temple, TX | Rent | $5k | year 9 | 14.7 | $243,946 | $1,383 |
| Norwalk, CT | Rent | $130k | 30+ years | 20.4 | $667,722 | $2,730 |
| Livonia, MI | Rent | $26k | year 14 | 15.3 | $312,136 | $1,699 |
| Erie, PA | Rent | $27k | year 24 | 15.5 | $204,067 | $1,098 |
| North Port, FL | Buy | $48k | year 4 | 13.0 | $303,227 | $1,937 |
| Roswell, GA | Rent | $159k | 30+ years | 31.8 | $650,072 | $1,706 |
| Carson, CA | Rent | $39k | year 10 | 22.6 | $787,368 | $2,909 |
| Santa Monica, CA | Rent | $314k | year 27 | 39.3 | $1,657,936 | $3,516 |
| Clifton, NJ | Rent | $106k | 30+ years | 19.5 | $608,762 | $2,605 |
| Duluth, MN | Rent | $28k | year 15 | 17.2 | $296,120 | $1,434 |
| Leander, TX | Rent | $55k | year 21 | 18.5 | $420,175 | $1,897 |
| Citrus Heights, CA | Rent | $13k | year 9 | 20.7 | $468,847 | $1,883 |
| Sioux City, IA | Rent | $8k | year 10 | 13.2 | $200,738 | $1,267 |
| South Jordan, UT | Rent | $67k | year 14 | 25.9 | $661,177 | $2,131 |
| San Ramon, CA | Rent | $280k | year 28 | 38.6 | $1,447,415 | $3,121 |
| Homestead, FL | Buy | $30k | year 5 | 14.9 | $437,198 | $2,447 |
| Cranston, RI | Rent | $29k | year 11 | 18.1 | $454,927 | $2,092 |
| Auburn, AL | Rent | $65k | 30+ years | 20.9 | $421,396 | $1,681 |
| Miami Beach, FL | Buy | $32k | year 5 | 16.1 | $530,649 | $2,750 |
| Perris, CA | Buy | $40k | year 5 | 15.9 | $542,448 | $2,846 |
| Westland, MI | Rent | $7k | year 9 | 13.5 | $211,230 | $1,301 |
| Redmond, WA | Rent | $278k | 30+ years | 41.8 | $1,293,017 | $2,577 |
| Pharr, TX | Buy | $7k | year 6 | 12.0 | $160,714 | $1,116 |
| Mansfield, TX | Rent | $93k | 30+ years | 21.5 | $440,844 | $1,707 |
| Woodbury, MN | Rent | $37k | year 13 | 17.5 | $460,987 | $2,196 |
| Flower Mound, TX | Rent | $107k | 30+ years | 21.7 | $599,753 | $2,298 |
| Bloomington, IN | Rent | $9k | year 9 | 14.8 | $312,287 | $1,763 |
| Bloomington, IL | Rent | $68k | 30+ years | 17.6 | $268,640 | $1,270 |
| Bowling Green, KY | Rent | $36k | year 22 | 18.8 | $280,339 | $1,240 |
| Alameda, CA | Rent | $199k | year 24 | 33.2 | $1,145,869 | $2,876 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | Rent | $53k | year 12 | 25.5 | $650,175 | $2,128 |
| Ankeny, IA | Rent | $74k | 30+ years | 19.3 | $338,618 | $1,464 |
| Maricopa, AZ | Buy | $26k | year 5 | 16.0 | $340,112 | $1,773 |
| Bellflower, CA | Rent | $107k | year 18 | 29.8 | $793,206 | $2,221 |
| Noblesville, IN | Rent | $62k | 30+ years | 19.3 | $392,405 | $1,692 |
| Tamarac, FL | Buy | $67k | year 3 | 11.4 | $291,266 | $2,121 |
| Gulfport, MS | Buy | $12k | year 6 | 11.7 | $206,122 | $1,467 |
| West Des Moines, IA | Rent | $71k | 30+ years | 19.7 | $320,565 | $1,353 |
| Lake Elsinore, CA | Rent | $29k | year 10 | 20.6 | $581,180 | $2,348 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | Rent | $33k | 30+ years | 16.3 | $238,251 | $1,216 |
| Lafayette, IN | Rent | $24k | year 15 | 17.2 | $264,702 | $1,282 |
| Jacksonville, NC | Toss-up | renting ahead by $3k | year 8 | 15.3 | $261,539 | $1,421 |
| Eastvale, CA | Rent | $62k | year 11 | 21.1 | $927,018 | $3,659 |
| Rockville, MD | Rent | $91k | 30+ years | 20.9 | $595,387 | $2,372 |
| Greenwood, IN | Rent | $33k | year 17 | 17.5 | $325,851 | $1,554 |
| Redondo Beach, CA | Rent | $255k | year 24 | 35.3 | $1,473,478 | $3,483 |
| Sanford, FL | Buy | $31k | year 5 | 15.6 | $339,925 | $1,821 |
| Sammamish, WA | Rent | $281k | year 27 | 37.0 | $1,489,177 | $3,350 |
| Janesville, WI | Rent | $65k | 30+ years | 21.2 | $296,361 | $1,165 |
| Hendersonville, TN | Rent | $77k | year 23 | 26.0 | $515,384 | $1,651 |
| Moore, OK | Buy | $8k | year 6 | 12.4 | $219,711 | $1,481 |
| Wellington, FL | Buy | $60k | year 5 | 14.5 | $661,404 | $3,808 |
| Marietta, GA | Rent | $68k | year 24 | 23.3 | $471,498 | $1,687 |
| Lakewood, WA | Rent | $56k | year 15 | 24.5 | $510,189 | $1,734 |
| Council Bluffs, IA | Rent | $23k | year 16 | 14.2 | $227,901 | $1,335 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | Rent | $199k | year 20 | 32.6 | $1,338,649 | $3,418 |
| Corvallis, OR | Rent | $93k | 30+ years | 26.1 | $556,438 | $1,775 |
| Bentonville, AR | Rent | $109k | 30+ years | 24.7 | $490,040 | $1,651 |
| Winter Haven, FL | Buy | $39k | year 4 | 13.4 | $271,922 | $1,686 |
| Spring Hill, TN | Rent | $45k | year 14 | 22.0 | $518,832 | $1,966 |
| National City, CA | Rent | $41k | year 11 | 23.5 | $685,179 | $2,426 |
| Royal Oak, MI | Rent | $8k | year 9 | 13.9 | $328,150 | $1,962 |
| Monterey Park, CA | Rent | $116k | year 17 | 28.7 | $909,564 | $2,638 |
| Taylorsville, UT | Rent | $51k | year 15 | 25.5 | $491,714 | $1,610 |
| New Brunswick, NJ | Buy | $23k | year 6 | 13.0 | $439,421 | $2,820 |
| Tigard, OR | Rent | $102k | 30+ years | 27.7 | $598,717 | $1,798 |
| Logan, UT | Rent | $30k | year 12 | 23.8 | $391,505 | $1,368 |
| Plainfield, NJ | Rent | $105k | 30+ years | 19.6 | $516,503 | $2,191 |
| Fountain Valley, CA | Rent | $252k | year 25 | 38.3 | $1,377,121 | $2,998 |
| West Sacramento, CA | Rent | $9k | year 8 | 19.2 | $520,898 | $2,263 |
| Chicopee, MA | Toss-up | renting ahead by $1k | year 8 | 16.0 | $319,956 | $1,665 |
| West Haven, CT | Rent | $63k | 30+ years | 15.8 | $362,817 | $1,919 |
| Berwyn, IL | Rent | $84k | 30+ years | 17.8 | $317,986 | $1,485 |
| Tinley Park, IL | Rent | $36k | year 18 | 12.8 | $335,016 | $2,181 |
| Arcadia, CA | Rent | $229k | year 23 | 33.6 | $1,375,605 | $3,412 |
| Galveston, TX | Rent | $39k | year 17 | 18.3 | $315,114 | $1,435 |
| Pinellas Park, FL | Buy | $68k | year 3 | 12.1 | $300,743 | $2,077 |
| Placentia, CA | Rent | $168k | year 20 | 31.8 | $1,101,368 | $2,882 |
| Celina, TX | Rent | $103k | 30+ years | 21.2 | $512,080 | $2,009 |
| Newark, OH | Rent | $13k | year 11 | 14.5 | $246,884 | $1,420 |
| Florissant, MO | Buy | $37k | year 3 | 9.8 | $195,065 | $1,656 |
| Enid, OK | Buy | $22k | year 4 | 10.1 | $135,534 | $1,122 |
| Stillwater, OK | Rent | $27k | year 15 | 16.4 | $267,261 | $1,358 |
813 cities
Sources: Zillow Home Value and Observed Rent indexes, with verdicts based on our rent vs buy method using 20% down over 7 years. These four places stay off the list, because Zillow has no data series for them: Delano, CA (no ZORI rent index data); South Fulton, GA (no ZHVI home value data); Stonecrest, GA (no ZHVI home value data); Lancaster, PA (no ZHVI home value data). Reuse the whole table free of charge, as long as you link back: download the CSV.
Next
Rent or buy calculator Price to rent ratio Rent versus buy by state Home