Rent vs buy in Stillwater, OK
A typical home in Stillwater, Oklahoma is $267,261, and the typical rent is $1,358 /mo.
Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $27k
Today's mortgage rate and a 20% down payment, applied to Stillwater's typical figures for rent and home value. Break-even arrives in year 15.
Clearly labelled opinion, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Change any number and the stamp changes with it.
- Renting leads by
- $27k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 15 when owning catches up
- What owning really costs
- $2,444 a month year 1, against $1,358 rent
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Stillwater's typical rent and home value are what the stamp uses. Your own rent, price and years can flip the result.
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Fill in your rent, the price and the down payment. When those numbers change, the stamp changes too.
In Stillwater, is renting or buying cheaper?
Add in what selling the home gives you back, and renting comes out $26,572 cheaper over 7 years. For the first 14 years, renting costs less. By year 15, owning catches up.
Rent. Buy. Net cost to date, by year.
Stillwater: average rent compared with the mortgage payment
Rent and the mortgage payment don't tell the whole story. Here are all the monthly costs in year 1, based on Stillwater's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,358 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,457 | $1,284 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $207 | 0.93% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $184 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $223 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,071 | $173 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $434 | What the cash would earn over a year at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $111 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,444 | Cash out, take away the equity part, and add the two lines above |
Stillwater's verdict, explained by the numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $267,261
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,358 /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, Oklahoma, 1995 to 2025
- 4% 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, Stillwater
- 0.93% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Stillwater
- $184 /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 verdict in Stillwater?
Each line shows where the 7-year verdict for Stillwater flips, and everything else stays as it is.
When renting comes out ahead
- Home prices grow at under 5.2% a year. The 4% we use is Oklahoma's rate over the long run.
- Rates for mortgages remain above 5.47%.
- Renting a comparable home costs less than $1,640 a month (the local typical is $1,358).
- Moving happens before year 15.
Buying is the better deal when
- Home prices rise by more than 5.2% a year.
- You lock in a mortgage rate under 5.47%. Today's rate is 7.24%.
- The same home rented would cost you over $1,640 a month.
- You live there 15 years or longer.
Stillwater compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Stillwater | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $267,261 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,358 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 16.4 (#526 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 4.8% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 7.1% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.93% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 63% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other cities across Oklahoma
- Too close to call. Oklahoma City, OK. Renting leads by $3k.
- Rent. Tulsa, OK. Renting comes out ahead by $7k.
- Rent. Norman, OK. Renting comes out ahead by $20k.
- Buy. Moore, OK. Buying comes out ahead by $8k.
- Buy. Enid, OK. Buying comes out ahead by $22k.