Rent vs buy in Queen Creek, AZ
In Queen Creek, Arizona, typical rent runs $2,229 /mo while a typical home runs $629,797.
Over 7 years, renting saves you $37k
Using today's mortgage rate, 20% down and Queen Creek's typical home value and rent. You reach the break-even point in year 11.
Our clearly labelled opinion includes the math. The numbers are estimates, not quotes. Adjust any number, and the stamp will change.
- Renting is ahead by
- $37k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 11 when owning catches up
- Full cost of owning
- $5,148 /mo year 1, against $2,229 rent
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The stamp draws on Queen Creek's typical rent and its typical home value. Your rent, price and number of years could change the result.
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Queen Creek?
Over 7 years, renting costs $36,617 less after counting the money you get back when you sell. For the first 10 years, renting costs less. By year 11, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost up to now, year by year.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Queen Creek
Rent and the mortgage only tell part of the story. Here are all the monthly costs for year 1, based on Queen Creek's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,229 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,434 | $3,026 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $226 | 0.43% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $85 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $525 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $4,269 | $407 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,024 | Annual return the cash would earn at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $262 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $5,148 | Cash paid, minus the equity portion, plus the two amounts above |
Numbers behind the Queen Creek result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $629,797
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,229 /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, Arizona, 1995 to 2025
- 5.2% 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, Queen Creek
- 0.43% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Queen Creek
- $85 /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 the Queen Creek result?
Each line marks the point where Queen Creek's 7-year result changes, while all other values stay the same.
Renting is cheaper when
- Annual home-price growth stays below 5.9%; our calculation uses Arizona's long-run rate of 5.2%.
- The mortgage rate remains above 6.21%.
- For this kind of home, rent comes to under $2,620 monthly, compared with the typical $2,229.
- Your move happens before year 11.
Buying is cheaper when
- Home prices increase by more than 5.9% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 6.21% (today's is 7.24%).
- The monthly rent for the same home would exceed $2,620.
- You remain there for 11 years or more.
Queen Creek compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Queen Creek | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $629,797 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,229 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 23.5 (#188 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 7.3% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 1.4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.43% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 10% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
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- Buy. In Buckeye, AZ, buying comes out ahead by $29k.