Rent vs buy in Round Rock, TX
Typical rent in Round Rock, Texas is $1,709 /mo, and a typical home costs $395,851.
Renting comes out $53k ahead over 7 years
Today's mortgage rate and 20% down apply alongside typical rent and home value for Round Rock's market. The break-even point is year 21.
Our opinion, clearly labelled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Change any number and the stamp will change.
- Ahead with renting
- $53k after 7 years
- The break-even point
- In year 21 when owning catches up
- True cost of home ownership
- $3,686 /mo year 1, against $1,709 rent
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Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Round Rock?
Over 7 years, renting costs $53,438 less, counting the money you get back when you sell. For the first 20 years, renting costs less. By year 21, owning catches up.
Rent. Buy. Net costs so far, year by year.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Round Rock
Rent and mortgage payments don't tell you everything. Here are all monthly costs for year 1, based on Round Rock's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,709 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,158 | $1,902 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $508 | 1.54% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $137 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $330 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $3,133 | $256 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $643 | What the cash would earn each year at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $165 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,686 | Cash out after subtracting the equity portion, then add the two items listed above. |
The Round Rock verdict, explained by numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $395,851
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,709 /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, Round Rock
- 1.54% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Round Rock
- $137 /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 outcome in Round Rock?
Every line shows where the 7-year result for Round Rock changes, while all other figures stay the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Annual home price growth remains below 6.3%; our calculation uses 4.7%, Texas's long-run rate.
- Mortgage rates remain higher than 4.83%.
- A similar home rents below $2,280 each month (typical here: $1,709).
- Before year 21, you move.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Home prices increase by more than 6.3% each year.
- Today's mortgage rate is 7.24%, and you lock in a rate below 4.83%.
- For the same home, monthly rent would run more than $2,280.
- You remain for 21 years or longer.
The other 812 cities compared with Round Rock
| Measure | Round Rock | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $395,851 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,709 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 19.3 (#367 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | -0.3% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.54% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 44% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other cities across Texas
- Too close to call. Houston TX. Renting leads by $2k in this toss-up.
- In San Antonio, TX, renting wins by $10k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In Dallas TX, renting wins by $20k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In Fort Worth, TX, renting wins by $17k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In Austin TX, renting wins by $111k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In El Paso, TX, buying leads by $2k in this toss-up, so it's close.
- In Arlington TX, renting wins by $34k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In Corpus Christi, TX, buying wins by $4k, so owning comes out ahead.
- In Plano TX, renting wins by $105k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In Lubbock TX, buying leads by $2k in this toss-up, so it's close.
- In Laredo TX, renting wins by $20k, so rent comes out ahead.
- In Irving TX, renting wins by $36k, so rent comes out ahead.
See the numbers for Texas rent vs buy