Rent vs buy in Fayetteville, NC
The typical rent is $1,362 /mo, while the typical home price is $221,511, in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Over 7 years, buying comes out ahead by $9k.
Today's mortgage rate and 20% down are paired with Fayetteville's typical rent and home value. You reach break-even in year 6.
Clearly labeled opinion with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes when you change a number.
- Owning is ahead by
- $9k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 6 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $2,001 /mo year 1, against $1,362 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp relies on Fayetteville's typical home value and rent. Your rent, price and years can change the outcome.
Do your numbers differ from the city's?
Enter your rent, purchase price and down payment. Those figures change the stamp.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fayetteville?
Once you count the money returned when you sell, buying costs $8,994 less than renting over 7 years. In year 6, owning's net cost falls below renting's and remains lower.
Renting. Cost of owning Net costs tracked by year
Average rent compared with mortgage payments in Fayetteville
The monthly cost includes more than rent and a mortgage. Here's everything for year 1 at Fayetteville's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,362 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,208 | $1,064 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $188 | 1.02% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $111 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $185 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,692 | $143 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $360 | The yearly return on the cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $92 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,001 | Cash paid out, minus the equity portion, plus the two lines listed above |
Figures behind the Fayetteville verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $221,511
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,362 /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, North Carolina, 1995 to 2025
- 4.4% 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, Fayetteville
- 1.02% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Fayetteville
- $111 /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
In Fayetteville, what would make the result flip?
Each line shows where Fayetteville's 7-year verdict changes, while all other factors remain the same.
When renting comes out ahead
- Home prices grow by less than 3.9% each year, while our calculation uses North Carolina's long-run rate of 4.4%.
- The mortgage rate remains above 7.96%.
- For a similar home, monthly rent is below $1,270 (typical here: $1,362).
- Your move happens before year 6.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices rise by more than 3.9% each year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 7.96% (today's is 7.24%).
- You'd pay over $1,270 monthly to rent that same home.
- You remain in the home for 6 years or longer.
Fayetteville compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Fayetteville | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $221,511 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,362 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 13.6 (#699 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.7% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4.9% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.02% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 53% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in North Carolina
- For Charlotte, NC, rent wins by $30k.
- For Raleigh, NC, rent wins by $61k.
- For Greensboro, NC, it's a toss-up, with rent ahead by $3k.
- For Durham, NC, rent wins by $40k.
- For Winston-Salem, NC, buying wins by $6k.
- For Cary, NC, rent wins by $131k.
- For Wilmington, NC, rent wins by $47k.
- For High Point, NC, buying wins by $4k.
- For Concord, NC, rent wins by $20k.
- For Greenville, NC, buying wins by $13k.
- In Asheville, NC, renting wins by $53k. Rent.
- In Gastonia, NC, renting is ahead by $576. It's a toss-up.