Rent vs buy in Hamilton, OH
In Hamilton, Ohio, the typical rent is $1,438 /mo and the typical home is $303,382.
Renting comes out ahead by $44k over 7 years
Today's mortgage rate and 20% down are used with Hamilton's typical rent and home value. Break-even: no point within 30 years.
Clearly labelled opinion, with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. Adjust any number and the stamp adjusts with it.
- Renting leads by
- $44k after 7 years
- The break-even point
- 30 years or more owning never catches up sooner
- What owning really costs
- $2,677 each month year 1, against $1,438 rent
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Which costs less in Hamilton, renting or buying?
Counting the money you get back when you sell, renting is $43,724 cheaper over 7 years. Every year shown puts renting's net cost under owning's, and owning never catches up inside 30 years.
Renting. Owning. Net cost to date, by year.
Average rent against mortgage payment in Hamilton
Rent and mortgage payments tell only part of the story. Here are all monthly costs in year 1, based on Hamilton's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,438 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,654 | $1,458 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $271 | 1.07% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $76 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $253 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,253 | $196 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $493 | What that cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $126 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,677 | Cash out, minus the equity share, plus the two lines listed above. |
The numbers that drive the Hamilton verdict
- Home value, typical Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $303,382
- Rent, typical Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,438 each month
- Down payment: 20% avoids private mortgage insurance, and the engine does not model it.
- 20%
- Mortgage rate used: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home prices FHFA home price index for Ohio, 1995 to 2025
- 3.5% yearly
- Rents over time CPI measure of primary residence rent, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% per year
- Return on savings 60% S&P 500 with dividends plus 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced each year, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% yearly
- Tax on the property Census ACS 2020-2024, Hamilton
- 1.07% of the home's value
- Insurance for the homeCensus ACS 2020-2024, Hamilton
- $76 per month
- Maintenance costsFannie Mae, bottom of the 1% to 4% range
- 1% of value every year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, midpoint of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of the price
- Selling costsAgent commission and closing costs
- 6% of the price
Which changes would flip the Hamilton result?
Every line here marks the point where Hamilton's 7-year verdict changes, and everything else stays put.
Renting is the better choice if
- Home prices grow under 5.3% a year (we use Ohio's long-run rate of 3.5%).
- The mortgage rate remains above 4.66%.
- Monthly rent for a home like this is less than $1,910 (typical here: $1,438).
- Move at any point during the next 30 years and owning never closes the gap at these numbers.
When buying takes the lead
- Home prices grow by more than 5.3% each year.
- A mortgage rate below 4.66% is the one you lock in (today's is 7.24%).
- Renting that same home would run you over $1,910 a month.
How Hamilton compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Hamilton | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $303,382 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,438 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 17.6 (#457 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 7.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 7.3% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.07% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 46% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow data on ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other Ohio cities
- Rent. Columbus, OH. renting comes out ahead by $12k.
- Buy. Cleveland, OH. buying comes out ahead by $49k.
- Rent. Cincinnati, OH. renting comes out ahead by $19k.
- Buy. Toledo, OH. buying comes out ahead by $21k.
- Buy. Akron, OH. buying comes out ahead by $19k.
- Buy. Dayton, OH. buying comes out ahead by $25k.
- Rent. Parma, OH. Renting is ahead by $25k.
- Too close to call. Canton, OH. Renting is ahead by $2k.
- Buy. Lorain, OH. Buying is ahead by $7k.
- Buy. Youngstown, OH. buying comes out ahead by $54k.
- Toss-up. Springfield, OH. Renting is ahead by $713.
- Rent. Kettering, OH. Renting comes out ahead by $34k.