Rent vs buy in Plano, TX
In Texas, the typical rent in Plano, Texas is $1,736 /mo and the typical home value is $497,714.
Renting comes out ahead by $105k over 7 years
The calculation starts with Plano's typical rent and home value. It assumes 20% down and today's mortgage rate. Within 30 years, there is no break-even point.
Estimates, not quotes, with the math shown. It's an opinion, clearly labelled. The stamp changes when you change a number.
- Ahead with renting
- $105k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- 30+ years owning never catches up sooner
- Real cost of owning
- $4,634 /mo year 1, against $1,736 rent
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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Plano?
Over 7 years, renting costs $105,213 less once you include the money you get back when you sell. Renting's net cost stays under owning's in every year shown. Owning remains behind within 30 years.
The choice is renting. Buying. For each year, the net cost so far.
In Plano, average rent compared with mortgage payment
At Plano's typical price, here are all monthly costs for year 1. Rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,736 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,714 | $2,392 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $597 | 1.44% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $214 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $415 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $3,940 | $322 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $809 | Cash earnings at 8.3% a year |
| Buying costs, spread out | $207 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $4,634 | Cash paid out, with the equity part removed, plus both earlier lines. |
The math behind the Plano result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $497,714
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,736 /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, Plano
- 1.44% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Plano
- $214 /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 change the result in Plano?
The 7-year verdict in Plano changes at the threshold shown on each line, with everything else unchanged.
When renting comes out ahead
- Home price growth is below 7.1% a year; we apply Texas's long-run rate of 4.7%.
- The mortgage rate holds above 3.43%.
- For a home like this, rent is less than $2,860 a month. The typical rent here is $1,736 each month.
- If you move during the next 30 years, owning never makes up the difference at these figures.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home price growth is faster than 7.1% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 3.43%, while the current rate is 7.24%.
- You would pay more than $2,860 a month to rent that same home.
How Plano compares with 812 other cities
| Measure | Plano | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $497,714 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,736 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 23.9 (#168 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.5% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 1.4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.44% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 43% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More Texas cities
- Toss-up. Houston TX. Renting leads by $2k.
- In San Antonio, TX, renting leads by $10k.
- Dallas, TX. The result is a $20k win for renting.
- In Fort Worth, TX, renting leads by $17k.
- Austin, TX. The result is a $111k win for renting.
- Toss-up. El Paso, TX. Buying leads by $2k.
- Arlington, TX. The result is a $34k win for renting.
- In Corpus Christi, TX, buying leads by $4k.
- Toss-up. Lubbock TX. Buying leads by $2k.
- Laredo, TX. The result is a $20k win for renting.
- Irving, TX. The result is a $36k win for renting.
- Garland, TX. The result is a $12k win for renting.