Rent vs buy in Carrollton, TX
In Carrollton, Texas, the typical rent is $1,650 /mo and the typical home value is $396,178.
Renting comes out $61k ahead over 7 years
Using Carrollton's typical rent and home value, plus 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point is year 25.
An opinion is clearly labeled, with the math shown. The figures are estimates, not quotes. Change any number and the stamp updates.
- Ahead on renting
- $61k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 25 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $3,717 each month year 1, against $1,650 rent
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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carrollton?
If you count the money you get back when you sell, renting costs $61,175 less over 7 years. For the first 24 years, renting costs less. By year 25, owning catches up.
Rent. Buy. Net cost to date, by year.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Carrollton
In year 1, here's every monthly cost at Carrollton's typical price, since rent and mortgage aren't the whole story.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,650 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,160 | $1,904 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $482 | 1.46% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $192 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $330 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $3,164 | $256 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $644 | Annual return on the cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $165 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,717 | Cash paid out, minus the equity portion, plus the two lines above |
Carrollton verdict numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $396,178
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,650 /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, Carrollton
- 1.46% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Carrollton
- $192 /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 Carrollton result?
Each line marks where the 7-year verdict for Carrollton changes. Everything else stays the same.
Renting wins in these cases
- Home prices grow by less than 6.5% each year; the calculation uses 4.7%, Texas's long-run rate.
- A mortgage rate remains above 4.48%.
- A similar home rents for under $2,310 a month (the typical rent here is $1,650).
- You move before you reach year 25.
Buying wins in these cases
- Home prices rise faster than 6.5% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 4.48% (today's is 7.24%).
- The monthly rent for that same home would exceed $2,310.
- You remain there for 25 years or more.
Carrollton compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Carrollton | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $396,178 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,650 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 20.0 (#331 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 5.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 2.1% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.46% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 41% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities across Texas
- For Houston, TX, the result is a toss-up, with renting ahead by $2k.
- For San Antonio, TX, renting comes out ahead by $10k.
- For Dallas, TX, renting comes out ahead by $20k.
- For Fort Worth, TX, renting comes out ahead by $17k.
- For Austin, TX, renting comes out ahead by $111k.
- For El Paso, TX, the result is a toss-up, with buying ahead by $2k.
- For Arlington, TX, renting comes out ahead by $34k.
- For Corpus Christi, TX, buying comes out ahead by $4k.
- For Plano, TX, renting comes out ahead by $105k.
- For Lubbock, TX, the result is a toss-up, with buying ahead by $2k.
- Rent wins. Laredo, TX. Renting holds a $20k lead.
- Rent wins. Irving, TX. Renting holds a $36k lead.