Rent vs buy in Malden, MA
In Massachusetts, the typical home in Malden, Massachusetts costs $667,723, while the typical rent is $2,929 /mo.
Over 7 years, renting comes out $13k ahead
Today's mortgage rate and 20% down are paired with Malden's typical rent and home value. The break-even point falls in year 8.
Our clearly labeled opinion includes the math. These figures are estimates, not quotes. If you change a number, the stamp changes with it.
- Renting leads by
- $13k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 8 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- Each month: $5,678 year 1, against $2,929 rent
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Malden?
Across 7 years, renting saves $13,008 after counting the money you get back when you sell. For the first 7 years, renting costs less. By year 8, owning has caught up.
The renting option. The owning option. The running net cost appears year by year.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Malden
Rent and mortgage payments don't tell the full story. At Malden's typical price, here are all monthly costs in year 1.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,929 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,640 | $3,209 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $440 | 0.79% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $110 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $556 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $4,746 | $432 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,085 | Annual return on the cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $278 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $5,678 | Cash paid, minus the equity portion, plus both amounts listed above |
Numbers behind Malden's result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $667,723
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,929 /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, Massachusetts, 1995 to 2025
- 5.1% 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, Malden
- 0.79% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Malden
- $110 /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 Malden?
Each line shows where Malden's 7-year result changes, while all other factors stay the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by less than 5.3% a year (our calculation uses 5.1%, Massachusetts's long-run rate).
- A mortgage rate over 6.90% remains in place.
- A similar home rents for under $3,070 a month. The local typical rent is $2,929.
- Your move happens before year 8.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices grow faster than 5.3% each year.
- With today's rate at 7.24%, you secure a mortgage rate below 6.90%.
- Monthly rent for that same home would exceed $3,070.
- You remain there for 8 years or more.
How Malden compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Malden | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $667,723 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,929 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 19.0 (#388 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 5.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4.4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.79% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 59% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Additional cities in Massachusetts
- Renting wins by $10k in Boston, MA.
- Renting wins by $8k in Worcester, MA.
- Buying wins by $18k in Springfield, MA.
- Renting wins by $83k in Cambridge, MA.
- Renting wins by $9k in Lowell, MA.
- Renting wins by $19k in Brockton, MA.
- Renting wins by $45k in Lynn, MA.
- Renting wins by $51k in Quincy, MA.
- Renting wins by $40k in New Bedford, MA.
- Renting wins by $29k in Fall River, MA.
- Renting wins by $317k in Newton, MA.
- It's a toss-up in Lawrence, MA, with renting ahead by $2k.