Rent vs buy in Castle Rock, CO
Castle Rock, Colorado shows a typical rent of $2,333 /mo and a typical home value of $657,743.
Over 7 years, renting comes out $53k ahead
The calculation uses Castle Rock's typical rent, typical home value, 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point arrives in year 12.
A clearly labeled opinion with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. The stamp updates whenever you change a number.
- Renting is ahead by
- $53k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 12 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $5,547 /mo year 1, against $2,333 rent
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The stamp draws on Castle Rock's typical home value and rent. Your rent, home price and time period can change the result.
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Castle Rock?
Once you count the money returned when you sell, renting costs $53,106 less over 7 years. For the first 11 years, renting costs less. In year 12, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost by year so far.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Castle Rock
The monthly costs in year 1 go beyond rent and mortgage at Castle Rock's typical price. Here is the full list.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,333 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,586 | $3,161 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $307 | 0.56% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $188 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $548 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $4,629 | $425 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,069 | Annual return on the cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $274 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $5,547 | The two lines above, added to cash out after subtracting the equity part. |
The figures behind Castle Rock's result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $657,743
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,333 /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, Colorado, 1995 to 2025
- 5.2% 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, Castle Rock
- 0.56% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Castle Rock
- $188 /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 make the Castle Rock result flip?
Each line marks where Castle Rock's 7-year result changes, with all other factors staying the same.
Renting is the better choice when
- Home prices grow under 6.1% a year, based on 5.2%, Colorado's long-term rate.
- The mortgage rate remains above 5.80%.
- For a similar home, rent is below $2,900 each month; the local typical amount is $2,333.
- Your move happens before year 12.
When buying comes out ahead
- Each year, home prices rise by more than 6.1%.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 5.80%, compared with today's rate of 7.24%.
- For the same home, monthly rent would exceed $2,900 if you rented it.
- Your stay lasts at least 12 years.
How Castle Rock compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Castle Rock | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $657,743 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,333 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 23.5 (#194 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 2.4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.56% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 21% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Colorado's other cities
- Renting wins by $37k: Rent vs buy: Denver, CO.
- Renting wins by $17k: Rent vs buy: Colorado Springs, CO.
- Renting wins by $22k: Rent vs buy: Aurora, CO.
- Renting wins by $41k: Rent vs buy: Fort Collins, CO.
- Renting wins by $54k: Rent vs buy: Lakewood, CO.
- Renting wins by $26k: Rent vs buy: Thornton, CO.
- Renting wins by $47k: Rent vs buy: Arvada, CO.
- Renting wins by $34k: Rent vs buy: Westminster, CO.
- Renting wins by $33k: Rent vs buy: Greeley, CO.
- Buying wins by $5k: Rent vs buy: Pueblo, CO.
- Renting wins by $53k: Rent vs buy: Centennial, CO.
- Rent in Boulder, CO. Renting wins by $147k.