Rent vs buy in Green Bay, WI
In Green Bay, Wisconsin, typical rent is $1,088 /mo and a typical home is $285,670.
Renting comes out ahead by $62k over 7 years
With today's mortgage rate and 20% down, at the typical rent and home value for Green Bay's market. Break-even point: it doesn't happen within 30 years.
An opinion, clearly labeled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Swap in a different number and the stamp updates.
- Renting leads by
- $62k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- 30 years or more owning never catches up sooner
- The real cost of owning
- $2,623 a month year 1, against $1,088 rent
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The stamp uses the typical rent and home value for Green Bay's market. The rent you pay, the price you use and the years you pick can flip it.
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Green Bay?
Over 7 years, renting costs $62,488 less once you count the money you get back when you sell. In every year shown, renting's net cost is lower than owning's, and owning never catches up within 30 years.
The renting side The owning side Running net cost, year by year
Comparing average rent with the mortgage payment in Green Bay
Rent and the mortgage don't cover everything. At Green Bay's typical price, these are all the monthly costs in year 1.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,088 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,557 | $1,373 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $359 | 1.51% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $69 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $238 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,224 | $185 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $464 | What you'd earn on that cash at 8.3% a year |
| Buying costs, spread out | $119 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,623 | Cash out, minus the equity portion, plus the two lines listed above |
The Green Bay verdict, and the numbers behind it
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $285,670
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,088 /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, Wisconsin, 1995 to 2025
- 4.1% 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, Green Bay
- 1.51% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Green Bay
- $69 /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 change the result in Green Bay?
Every line marks the point at which Green Bay's 7-year verdict changes, with everything else held as it is.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home prices increase by less than 6.7% each year. For the calculation, we use Wisconsin's long-run rate of 4.1%.
- For mortgages, the rate stays above 3.30%.
- Renting a home like this costs less than $1,760 a month (the typical rent here is $1,088).
- Owning doesn't catch up with these numbers, so any move you make in the next 30 years doesn't change that.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by more than 6.7% a year.
- The mortgage rate you lock in is below 3.30%, while today's rate is 7.24%.
- You'd pay more than $1,760 a month to rent that same home.
Green Bay vs the other 812 cities
| Measure | Green Bay | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $285,670 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,088 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 21.9 (#252 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 8.4% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 6% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.51% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 42% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Wisconsin
- Rent. In Milwaukee, WI, renting wins by $4k.
- Rent. In Madison, WI, renting wins by $79k.
- Rent. In Kenosha, WI, renting wins by $15k.
- Rent. In Racine, WI, renting wins by $24k.
- Rent. In Appleton, WI, renting wins by $66k.
- Rent. Renting wins by $76k in Eau Claire, WI.
- Rent. Renting wins by $99k in Waukesha, WI.
- Rent. In Oshkosh, WI, renting wins by $42k.
- Rent. In Janesville, WI, renting wins by $65k.
- Rent. Renting wins by $30k in West Allis, WI.
- Rent. Renting wins by $44k in La Crosse, WI.