Rent vs buy in Celina, TX
In Celina, Texas, the typical rent is $2,009 /mo and the typical home is $512,080.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $103k.
Today's mortgage rate applies, along with 20% down and Celina's typical rent and home value. No break-even point arrives within 30 years.
Clearly labeled opinion. The math is shown, and these figures are estimates, not quotes. The stamp updates when you change a number.
- Rent leads by
- $103k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- 30+ years owning never catches up sooner
- Actual cost of ownership
- $4,926 /mo year 1, against $2,009 rent
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For the stamp, the inputs are the typical rent and home value for Celina's market. It can flip based on your rent, your price and your years.
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Would it cost less to rent or buy in Celina?
Across 7 years, renting costs $103,093 less, including the money returned to you when you sell. In every year shown, renting's net cost sits below owning's, and owning never catches up inside 30 years.
Renting side. Owning side. Net cost by year so far.
Average rent compared with mortgage payments in Celina
Rent and mortgage payments don't tell the full story. Here are all monthly costs for year 1 at Celina's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,009 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,792 | $2,461 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $798 | 1.87% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $195 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $427 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $4,212 | $331 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $832 | The cash would earn 8.3% each year |
| Buying costs, spread out | $213 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $4,926 | Cash out, minus the equity part, plus both lines above |
The numbers that explain the Celina verdict
- Typical home value ZHVI, September 2026, Zillow
- $512,080
- Typical rent ZORI, September 2026, Zillow
- $2,009 /mo
- With a 20% down payment, you avoid private mortgage insurance. The engine does not model it.
- 20%
- Mortgage rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home prices: FHFA index of home prices, Texas, 1995 to 2025
- 4.7% each year
- Rent growth CPI primary residence rent, growth each year 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% each year
- Return on savings 60% S&P 500, 40% 10-year Treasuries, dividends included, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% each year
- Property tax Census data, ACS 2020-2024, Celina
- 1.87% of the value
- Home insurance Census data, ACS 2020-2024, Celina
- $195 /mo
- Maintenance Fannie Mae, lower end of the 1% to 4% range
- Each year, the amount equals 1% of value
- Buying costs Freddie Mac, midpoint of the 2% to 5% range
- Price times 3.5%
- Selling costs Agent commission and closing costs
- 6% of the price
What would change the verdict in Celina?
Each line shows where the 7-year verdict for Celina changes, while all other inputs remain the same.
Renting wins if
- Home prices grow by less than 7.1% a year (our figure: 4.7%, based on Texas's long-term rate).
- The mortgage rate remains above 3.62%.
- A home like this has a monthly rent below $3,110 (the typical amount here is $2,009).
- If you move at any time within the next 30 years, owning remains behind at these numbers.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Each year, home prices increase at more than 7.1%.
- You get a rate under 3.62% locked in (right now it is 7.24%).
- You'd pay more than $3,110 a month to rent that same home.
How Celina compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Celina | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $512,080 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,009 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 21.2 (#280 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Property tax | 1.87% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 7% | 42% |
Data sources: Zillow data: ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities across Texas
- Too close to call. Houston, TX. Renting leads by $2k.
- Renting wins by $10k in San Antonio, TX.
- Renting wins by $20k in Dallas, TX.
- Renting wins by $17k in Fort Worth, TX.
- Renting wins by $111k in Austin, TX.
- Renting wins by $34k in Arlington, TX.