Rent vs buy in Tyler, TX
In Tyler, Texas, the typical rent is $1,259 /mo and the typical home price is $249,480.
Renting comes out ahead by $13k across 7 years
Today's mortgage rate applies, along with Tyler's typical rent and home value and 20% down. Break-even point: year 11.
Clearly labelled opinion with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. Change any number and the stamp will change.
- Renting comes out ahead by
- $13k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 11 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of ownership
- $2,294 /mo year 1, against $1,259 rent
Change my numbers
Tyler's typical rent and home value are used for the stamp. Your rent, home price and time period may change the result.
Do your numbers differ from the city's?
Enter your rent, home price and down payment. Those figures change the stamp.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Tyler?
Renting costs $13,335 less over 7 years, including the money returned to you when you sell. For the first 10 years, renting costs less. By year 11, owning has caught up.
Rent. Buy. Net cost up to now, by year.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Tyler
Rent and the mortgage payment don't show the full picture. Here are all monthly costs for year 1 at Tyler's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,259 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,360 | $1,199 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $243 | 1.17% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $135 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $208 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,946 | $161 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $406 | Annual return the cash would earn at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $104 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,294 | Cash paid, minus the equity portion, plus the two costs listed above |
Tyler verdict calculation
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $249,480
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,259 /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, Tyler
- 1.17% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Tyler
- $135 /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 Tyler?
Each line shows when the 7-year verdict for Tyler changes. Everything else stays the same.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by less than 5.3% a year. We use Texas's long-run rate of 4.7%.
- The rate on a mortgage stays above 6.29%.
- A similar home rents for under $1,400 a month. The typical rent here is $1,259.
- Moving before year 11.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices rise by more than 5.3% a year.
- A mortgage rate below 6.29% is what you lock in (today's is 7.24%).
- If you rented this same home, it would cost more than $1,400 monthly.
- You remain 11 years or longer.
The other 812 cities compared with Tyler
| Measure | Tyler | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $249,480 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,259 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 16.5 (#516 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 5.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3.1% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 1.17% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 45% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Texas
- With renting ahead by $2k, Houston TX is a toss-up.
- Rent. In San Antonio, TX, renting is ahead by $10k.
- Renting wins by $20k in Dallas TX.
- Rent. In Fort Worth, TX, renting is ahead by $17k.
- Renting wins by $111k in Austin TX.
- It's a toss-up in El Paso, TX, but buying leads by $2k.
- Renting wins by $34k in Arlington TX.
- Buy. In Corpus Christi, TX, buying is ahead by $4k.
- Renting wins by $105k in Plano TX.
- With buying ahead by $2k, Lubbock TX is a toss-up.
- Renting wins by $20k in Laredo TX.
- Renting wins by $36k in Irving TX.