Rent vs buy in Quincy, MA
In Quincy, Massachusetts, the typical rent is $2,712 /mo and a typical home is $674,171.
Renting comes out ahead by $51k over 7 years
The assumptions are Quincy's typical rent and home value, 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point is year 12.
Our clearly labeled opinion shows the math. These are estimates, not quotes. Change any number, and the stamp updates.
- Ahead: renting
- $51k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 12 when owning catches up
- The true cost of ownership
- $5,884 each month year 1, against $2,712 rent
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Quincy's typical rent and home value are what the stamp uses. Your rent, price and years can change the result.
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In Quincy, does renting or buying cost less?
Renting costs $50,585 less over 7 years once you include the money returned after the sale. For the first 11 years, renting costs less. In year 12, owning catches up.
Rent. Buy. Net cost to date, by year.
Average rent compared with the mortgage payment in Quincy
The rent and mortgage don't tell the whole story. Every monthly cost from year 1 at Quincy's typical price appears in this breakdown.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,712 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $3,676 | $3,240 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $579 | 1.03% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $127 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $562 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $4,943 | $436 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,096 | What the cash would earn each year at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $281 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $5,884 | Cash paid out, minus equity, plus both amounts listed above |
Quincy verdict: the numbers behind it
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $674,171
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,712 /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, Quincy
- 1.03% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Quincy
- $127 /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 Quincy result?
Every line marks where the 7-year Quincy verdict changes, while all other inputs stay fixed.
When renting has the advantage
- Home prices increase by less than 6.0% each year, based on Massachusetts's long-term rate of 5.1%.
- The mortgage rate remains higher than 5.91%.
- For a home like this, monthly rent is under $3,250. Here, the typical amount is $2,712.
- Moving happens before year 12.
When buying wins
- Annual home price growth is faster than 6.0%.
- You lock a rate below 5.91%, while today's rate is 7.24%.
- You would pay more than $3,250 a month to rent the same home.
- Your stay lasts 12 years or more.
How Quincy compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Quincy | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $674,171 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,712 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 20.7 (#302 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 5.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.03% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 55% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More 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.
- For Lynn, MA, renting comes out ahead by $45k.
- For New Bedford, MA, renting comes out ahead by $40k.
- For Fall River, MA, renting comes out ahead by $29k.
- For Newton, MA, renting comes out ahead by $317k.
- Too close to call. Lawrence, MA has renting ahead by $2k.
- Renting wins by $65k in Somerville, MA.