Rent vs buy in Frisco, TX
In Frisco, Texas, typical rent is $1,840 /mo and a typical home is $640,131.
Over 7 years, renting comes out $170k ahead
The figures use a 20% down payment, today's mortgage rate, and Frisco's typical home value and rent. There's no break-even point during those 30 years.
Math-backed opinion, clearly labeled. These figures are estimates, not quotes. If you change a number, the stamp changes.
- Ahead with renting
- $170k after 7 years
- When costs meet
- 30+ years owning never catches up sooner
- Actual cost of ownership
- Each month: $5,937 year 1, against $1,840 rent
Change my numbers
Frisco's typical rent and home value drive the stamp. The result can flip based on your rent, price and years.
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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Frisco?
Over 7 years, renting costs $170,346 less after counting the money returned when you sell. In every year shown, renting's net cost remains lower than owning's, and owning never catches up within 30 years.
Renting option. Owning option. Net costs by year so far.
Average rent compared with mortgage payments in Frisco
At Frisco's typical price, rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story. Every monthly cost in year 1 is shown.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,840 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,490 | $3,076 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $795 | 1.49% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $225 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $533 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $5,043 | $414 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,040 | The annual amount the cash would earn at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $267 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $5,937 | Cash out minus the equity portion, then add the two entries listed above. |
Numbers behind Frisco's result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $640,131
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,840 /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, Frisco
- 1.49% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Frisco
- $225 /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 flip the result in Frisco?
Each line shows where Frisco's 7-year result changes, while all other factors stay the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home prices grow more slowly than 7.7% a year (we use Texas's long-run rate of 4.7%).
- A mortgage rate that stays above 2.41% meets this condition.
- For this kind of home, a monthly rent below $3,660 meets the condition; the typical figure here is $1,840.
- If you move during the next 30 years, owning won't catch up at these numbers.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Home prices increase by more than 7.7% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 2.41%, compared with today's 7.24%.
- If you rented this same home, the monthly cost would exceed $3,660.
How Frisco compares with 812 other cities
| Measure | Frisco | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $640,131 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,840 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 29.0 (#78 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.7% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 0.6% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.49% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 34% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Texas
- A toss-up. Houston, TX. Renting is ahead by $2k.
- In San Antonio, TX, renting wins by $10k. Result: rent.
- In Dallas, TX, renting wins by $20k. Result: rent.
- In Fort Worth, TX, renting wins by $17k. Result: rent.
- In Austin, TX, renting wins by $111k. Result: rent.
- A toss-up. El Paso, TX. Buying is ahead by $2k.
- In Arlington, TX, renting wins by $34k. Result: rent.
- In Corpus Christi, TX, buying wins by $4k. Result: buy.
- In Plano, TX, renting wins by $105k. Result: rent.
- A toss-up. Lubbock, TX. Buying is ahead by $2k.
- In Laredo, TX, renting wins by $20k. Result: rent.
- In Irving, TX, renting wins by $36k. Result: rent.