Rent vs buy in Oshkosh, WI
A typical home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin costs $260,125, while typical rent is $1,243 /mo.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $42k
Today's mortgage rate and 20% down are paired with Oshkosh's typical home value and rent. No break-even occurs within 30 years.
Clearly labeled opinion, with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. Change any number, and the stamp will change with it.
- Renting leads by
- $42k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- 30 years or more owning never catches up sooner
- Full cost of home ownership
- Each month: $2,479 year 1, against $1,243 rent
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In Oshkosh, is renting or buying cheaper?
When you include the money you receive when selling, renting costs $41,942 less over 7 years. Renting has the lower net cost in every year shown, while owning remains more expensive and doesn't catch up within 30 years.
The renting option. The owning option. Net cost to date, year by year.
Oshkosh's average rent compared with its mortgage payment
Rent and mortgage don't tell the whole story. Here are all monthly costs for year 1 at Oshkosh's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,243 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,418 | $1,250 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $414 | 1.91% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $67 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $217 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,116 | $168 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $423 | What the cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $108 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,479 | Cash out, minus the equity portion, plus the two lines above |
The figures behind Oshkosh's result
- Typical home value: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $260,125
- Typical rent Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,243 each month
- A 20% down payment prevents private mortgage insurance, which the calculation doesn't include.
- 20%
- The FHFA house price index, Wisconsin, 1995 to 2025 measures home price growth.
- Each year: 4.1%
- Rent growthPrimary residence rent CPI, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- Each year: 3.5%
- Savings return40% 10-year Treasuries and 60% S&P 500 with dividends, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% each year
- Property tax source: Census ACS 2020-2024, Oshkosh
- Value times 1.91%
- Home insurance source: Census ACS 2020-2024, Oshkosh
- $67 each month
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, the low end of a 1% to 4% range
- Each year: 1% of value
- Buying costs source: Freddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- Price times 3.5%
- Sale expenses: Agent commission plus closing costs
- Price times 6%
In Oshkosh, what would flip the result?
Each line marks the point where Oshkosh's 7-year verdict changes, while all other factors stay the same.
When renting wins
- Home prices rise at less than 6.1% a year (the math uses 4.1%, which is Wisconsin's long run rate).
- The rate on a mortgage stays above 4.35%.
- The monthly rent for a home like this is below $1,690, while the typical local amount is $1,243.
- Moving anytime during the next 30 years means owning never catches up at these figures.
When buying wins
- Home prices grow by more than 6.1% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate below 4.35%, compared with today's 7.24%.
- You'd pay more than $1,690 a month to rent that same home.
Oshkosh compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Oshkosh | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $260,125 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,243 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 17.4 (#471 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 7.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Property tax | 1.91% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 45% | 42% |
References: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Cities elsewhere in Wisconsin
- Milwaukee, WI: renting leads by $4k.
- Madison, WI: renting leads by $79k.
- Rent option. Green Bay, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $62k.
- Rent option. Kenosha, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $15k.
- Rent option. Racine, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $24k.
- Rent option. Appleton, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $66k.
- Rent option. Eau Claire, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $76k.
- Rent option. Waukesha, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $99k.
- Rent option. Janesville, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $65k.
- Rent option. West Allis, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $30k.
- Rent option. La Crosse, WI. Renting comes out ahead by $44k.