Rent vs buy in Santa Clarita, CA
In Santa Clarita, California, typical monthly rent is $2,783, while a typical home costs $786,149.
Over 7 years, renting wins by $69k
Using Santa Clarita's typical home and rent figures, the calculation includes 20% down and today's mortgage rate. Costs balance in year 13.
Clearly labeled opinion with math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Change one number, and the stamp changes.
- How far renting is ahead
- $69k after 7 years
- When the costs balance
- year 13 when owning catches up
- What ownership really costs
- $6,737 each month year 1, against $2,783 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp takes its rent and home value from Santa Clarita's typical figures. You can flip the result with your rent, price and years.
Are your numbers different from the city's?
Enter your own rent, price and down payment. Your choices change the stamp.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Santa Clarita?
Over 7 years, renting is $69,301 cheaper when you include the money you receive when you sell. For the first 12 years, renting costs less. In year 13, owning catches up.
Rent Home ownership. The net cost so far, shown one year at a time.
Santa Clarita: average rent compared with mortgage payments
Year 1 includes each monthly cost at Santa Clarita's typical price, not just rent and the mortgage.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,783 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $4,286 | $3,778 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $577 | 0.88% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $122 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $655 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $5,640 | $508 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,278 | The yearly return the cash would earn at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $328 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $6,737 | Subtract the equity portion from cash out, then add the two lines above. |
What the numbers show for the Santa Clarita result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $786,149
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,783 /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, California, 1995 to 2025
- 5.3% 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, Santa Clarita
- 0.88% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Santa Clarita
- $122 /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 Santa Clarita result?
A line marks where the 7-year Santa Clarita verdict changes. Everything else stays the same.
When renting comes out ahead
- Annual home price growth stays below 6.3%. We use California's long-run rate of 5.3%.
- The mortgage rate remains higher than 5.67%.
- Here, a comparable home rents for under $3,530 a month, against a typical rent of $2,783.
- Before year 13, you move.
When buying comes out ahead
- Annual home price growth is faster than 6.3%.
- A mortgage rate below 5.67% is locked (today's is 7.24%).
- For the same home, renting would cost you over $3,530 each month.
- You remain 13 years or longer.
How Santa Clarita compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Santa Clarita | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $786,149 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,783 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 23.5 (#190 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 5.1% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3.3% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.88% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 28% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities across California
- In Los Angeles, CA, renting wins by $111k.
- In San Diego, CA, renting wins by $108k.
- In San Jose, CA, renting wins by $210k.
- In San Francisco, CA, renting wins by $128k.
- In Fresno, CA, buying wins by $22k.
- In Sacramento, CA, it's a toss-up, with renting ahead by $3k.
- In Long Beach, CA, renting wins by $111k.
- In Oakland, CA, renting wins by $44k.
- In Bakersfield, CA, buying wins by $11k.
- In Anaheim, CA, renting wins by $115k.
- In Stockton, CA, buying wins by $16k.
- In Riverside, CA, renting wins by $27k.