Rent vs buy in Trenton, NJ
In Trenton, New Jersey, the typical rent is $2,030 /mo and the typical home price is $343,291.
Renting comes out ahead by $26k over 7 years
Using Trenton's typical rent and home value, plus 20% down and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point is year 13.
Opinion, clearly marked, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. Adjust a number and the stamp updates.
- Renting leads by
- $26k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 13 when owning catches up
- Real cost of owning
- $3,510 per month year 1, against $2,030 rent
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Trenton?
Count the money that comes back to you when you sell, and renting is cheaper by $25,925 over 7 years. For the first 12 years, renting costs less. By year 13, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost to date, by year.
Average rent compared with the mortgage payment in Trenton
Rent and the mortgage don't tell you everything, so here's every monthly cost for year 1 at Trenton's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,030 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,872 | $1,650 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $784 | 2.74% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $89 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $286 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $3,031 | $222 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $558 | The yearly return on that cash at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $143 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,510 | Cash out minus the equity share, plus both lines listed above |
The Trenton verdict in numbers
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $343,291
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,030 /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, New Jersey, 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, Trenton
- 2.74% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Trenton
- $89 /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 flip the result in Trenton?
Each line marks where Trenton’s 7-year verdict changes while all other factors stay the same.
Renting comes out ahead if
- Home prices rise by less than 5.6% each year (our 4.7% rate is New Jersey's long-run rate).
- For mortgages, the rate holds above 5.90%.
- For a home like this, monthly rent comes to less than $2,310 (typical here: $2,030).
- Your move comes before year 13.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by more than 5.6% a year.
- You lock in a mortgage rate under 5.90% (today's is 7.24%).
- You'd pay over $2,310 a month to rent that same home.
- You remain there for 13 years or more.
Trenton compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Trenton | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $343,291 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,030 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 14.1 (#678 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 9.2% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 6.7% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 2.74% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 62% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities across New Jersey
- Rent. Newark, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $74k.
- Rent. Jersey City, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $53k.
- Rent. Paterson, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $163k.
- Rent. Elizabeth, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $114k.
- Rent. Clifton, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $106k.
- Rent. Bayonne, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $122k.
- Rent. East Orange, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $114k.
- Buy. Camden, NJ. Buying comes out ahead by $77k.
- Rent. Passaic, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $135k.
- Rent. Union City, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $98k.
- Rent. Vineland, NJ. Renting comes out ahead by $13k.
- Rent. Hoboken, NJ. Renting is ahead by $57k.