Rent vs buy in Lynwood, CA
In Lynwood, California, the typical rent is $2,045 /mo and the typical home is $687,316.
Renting comes out ahead by $88k over 7 years
Today's mortgage rate applies here, with 20% down and Lynwood's typical rent and home value. Break-even point: year 17.
Our view is clearly labeled, and we show the math. These are estimates, not quotes. Adjust a number and the stamp shifts.
- Rent leads by
- $88k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- In year 17 when owning catches up
- Owning's true cost
- $5,793 each month year 1, against $2,045 rent
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The stamp is based on Lynwood's typical rent and home value. Change your rent, your price or your years and it can flip.
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In Lynwood, is renting or buying cheaper?
Across 7 years, renting saves $87,782 after including the money returned when you sell. For the first 16 years, renting is the cheaper choice. In year 17, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost by year so far.
Mortgage payment compared with average rent in Lynwood
Rent and a mortgage payment don't tell you everything. This is each monthly cost in year 1, using Lynwood's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,045 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,747 | $3,303 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $441 | 0.77% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $73 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $573 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $4,834 | $444 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,117 | At 8.3% a year, this is what the cash would earn |
| Buying costs, spread out | $286 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $5,793 | Subtract the equity part from cash out, then add the two lines above. |
The Lynwood verdict by the numbers
- Typical value of a home: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $687,316
- Usual rent: Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,045 each month
- The engine does not model private mortgage insurance, which a 20% down payment avoids
- 20%
- Rate used: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home prices: FHFA house price index, California, 1995 through 2025
- 5.3% yearly
- Growth in rent: CPI rent of primary residence, growth each year from 2006 through 2026
- 3.5% each year
- Savings return: 60% in the S&P 500, with dividends, plus 40% in 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced each year, 1928 through 2025
- 8.3% each year
- Property tax: Census ACS 2020-2024, Lynwood
- 0.77% of the value
- Home insurance: Census ACS 2020-2024, Lynwood
- $73 a month
- Upkeep: Fannie Mae, low end of the 1% to 4% range
- Per year: 1% of the value
- Cost of buying: Freddie Mac, the middle of the 2% to 5% range
- 3.5% applied to the price
- Cost of sellingAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of the price
What would make it flip in Lynwood?
Each line marks the point where Lynwood's 7-year verdict flips, with everything else held as it is.
Renting wins if
- Home prices grow at under 6.7% a year (we use California's long-run rate, 5.3%).
- The mortgage rate remains above 4.96%.
- A comparable home rents below $2,990 a month (the typical rent is $2,045).
- You move before you reach year 17.
Buying wins if
- Home prices grow faster than 6.7% each year.
- You lock a mortgage rate under 4.96% (today's is 7.24%).
- You'd pay more than $2,990 a month to rent that same home.
- You stay 17 years or more.
Lynwood compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Lynwood | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $687,316 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,045 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 28.0 (#91 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 7.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Property tax | 0.77% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 52% | 42% |
Data from: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in California
- Renting. Los Angeles, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $111k.
- Renting. San Diego, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $108k.
- Renting. San Jose, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $210k.
- Renting. San Francisco, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $128k.
- Buying. Fresno, CA. Buying comes out ahead by $22k.
- Too close. Sacramento, CA. It's a toss-up, with renting ahead by $3k.
- Renting. Long Beach, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $111k.
- Renting. Oakland, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $44k.
- Buy. In Bakersfield, CA, buying wins by $11k.
- Rent. In Anaheim, CA, renting wins by $115k.
- Buy. In Stockton, CA, buying wins by $16k.
- Rent. In Riverside, CA, renting wins by $27k.