Rent vs buy in Missouri City, TX
In Missouri City, Texas, the typical rent is $2,112 /mo and the typical home value is $331,365.
Over 7 years, the two options are a toss-up with a $1,996 gap.
It pairs the typical rent and home value for Missouri City's market with a 20% down payment and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point is year 7.
An opinion with a clear label and the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes whenever you change a number.
- Gap
- $2k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 7 when owning catches up
- Full cost of ownership
- $3,273 /mo year 1, against $2,112 rent
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For the stamp, we use the typical rent and home value found in Missouri City's market. Your rent, price and time period may change the result.
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Missouri City?
After 7 years, the two choices are within $1,996 of one another, so small changes settle it. The net cost of owning falls below the net cost of renting in year 7 and remains lower.
Rent. Buy. Net cost through each year.
Missouri City: average rent compared with mortgage payment
Rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story. Here are all monthly costs for year 1, using Missouri City's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,112 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,807 | $1,592 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $511 | 1.85% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $217 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $276 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,811 | $214 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $539 | The yearly return on cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $138 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,273 | Cash out, minus the equity portion, plus the two lines above |
Missouri City's verdict in numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $331,365
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,112 /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, Missouri City
- 1.85% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Missouri City
- $217 /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 could change Missouri City's result?
Each line marks the point where Missouri City's 7-year verdict changes, while all other factors remain the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Our figure is 4.7%, Texas's long-run rate. Home prices grow by less than 4.6% a year.
- The mortgage rate remains over 7.35%.
- A similar home rents for under $2,090 a month (the local typical rent is $2,112).
- Before year 7, you move.
Buying is ahead when
- Home prices rise by more than 4.6% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 7.35% (today's rate is 7.24%).
- Renting the same place would cost you over $2,090 each month.
- Your stay lasts 7 years or longer.
How Missouri City compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Missouri City | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $331,365 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,112 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 13.1 (#721 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 1.9% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.85% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 18% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other cities across Texas
- Toss-up. Houston, TX. It's a toss-up, with renting $2k ahead.
- Rent. San Antonio, TX. The lead goes to renting by $10k.
- Rent. Dallas, TX. Renting leads by $20k.
- Rent. Fort Worth, TX. Renting comes out ahead by $17k.
- Rent. Austin, TX. Renting leads by $111k.
- Toss-up. El Paso, TX. Buying is ahead by $2k.
- Rent. Arlington, TX. Renting leads by $34k.
- Buy. Corpus Christi, TX. Buying comes out ahead by $4k.
- Rent. Plano, TX. Renting leads by $105k.
- Toss-up. Lubbock, TX. Buying is ahead by $2k.
- Rent. Laredo, TX. Renting leads by $20k.
- Rent. Irving, TX. Renting leads by $36k.