Rent vs Buy by City
Should you rent or buy? We analyzed 586 US cities using local housing market data. Each page includes market insights and a calculator pre-filled with your city's numbers.
586cities analyzed
6favor buying
550favor renting
Where Buying Beats Renting
The price-to-rent ratio divides the median home price by a year of median rent. Below about 15, buying tends to win; above about 20, renting usually does.
Our verdict across 583 cities
Favor buying6Toss-up27Favor renting550
Most buy-friendly big cities
Lowest price-to-rent ratio
Most rent-friendly big cities
Highest price-to-rent ratio
Why does buying win in so few cities? Read the full analysis →
Popular Cities
New York, NY
Median: $1,182,636
Rent: $4,367/mo
Rent
Los Angeles, CA
Median: $859,958
Rent: $2,809/mo
Rent
Chicago, IL
Median: $314,517
Rent: $2,113/mo
Rent
Houston, TX
Median: $277,740
Rent: $1,584/mo
Rent
Phoenix, AZ
Median: $455,490
Rent: $1,736/mo
Rent
Philadelphia, PA
Median: $228,589
Rent: $1,704/mo
Toss-up
San Antonio, TX
Median: $252,853
Rent: $1,362/mo
Rent
San Diego, CA
Median: $910,765
Rent: $2,933/mo
Rent
All Cities by State
Alabama3 cities
- Birminghamrent
- Mobilerent
- Huntsvillerent
Arizona10 cities
Arkansas1 city
- Little Rockrent
California117 cities
- Los Angelesrent
- San Diegorent
- San Joserent
- San Franciscorent
- Sacramentorent
- Oaklandrent
- Bakersfieldrent
- Anaheimrent
- Santa Anarent
- Riversiderent
- All 117 California cities →
Colorado13 cities
- Denverrent
- Colorado Springsrent
- Aurorarent
- Fort Collinsrent
- Lakewoodrent
- Thorntonrent
- Arvadarent
- Westminsterrent
- Pueblorent
- Centennialrent
- All 13 Colorado cities →
Connecticut5 cities
- Bridgeportrent
- New Havenrent
- Stamfordrent
- Hartfordrent
- Waterburyrent
Delaware3 cities
- Wilmingtonrent
- Doverrent
- Newarkrent
District of Columbia1 city
- Washingtonrent
Florida19 cities
- Jacksonvillerent
- Miamirent
- Tamparent
- Orlandorent
- St. Petersburgrent
- Hialeahrent
- Fort Lauderdalerent
- Port St. Lucierent
- Cape Coralrent
- Pembroke Pinesrent
- All 19 Florida cities →
Illinois6 cities
- Chicagorent
- Jolietrent
- Rockfordbuy
- Napervillerent
- SpringfieldToss
- Peoriabuy
Indiana4 cities
- Indianapolisrent
- Fort Waynerent
- Evansvillerent
- South BendToss
Iowa3 cities
- Des Moinesrent
- Cedar Rapidsrent
- Davenportrent
Kansas5 cities
- Wichitarent
- Overland Parkrent
- Kansas Cityrent
- Olatherent
- Topekarent
Kentucky2 cities
- Louisvillerent
- Lexingtonrent
Louisiana2 cities
- New Orleansrent
- Baton Rougerent
Massachusetts10 cities
- Bostonrent
- Worcesterrent
- Springfieldrent
- Lowellrent
- Cambridgerent
- Brocktonrent
- Quincyrent
- Lynnrent
- Fall Riverrent
- New Bedfordrent
Michigan8 cities
- DetroitToss
- Grand Rapidsrent
- Warrenrent
- Sterling Heightsrent
- Ann Arborrent
- Lansingrent
- Flintrent
- LivoniaToss
Minnesota17 cities
- Minneapolisrent
- St. Paulrent
- Rochesterrent
- Duluthbuy
- Bloomingtonrent
- Brooklyn Parkrent
- Plymouthrent
- Woodburyrent
- Maple Groverent
- Coon Rapidsrent
- All 17 Minnesota cities →
Mississippi8 cities
- JacksonToss
- Gulfportrent
- Southavenrent
- Hattiesburgrent
- Biloxirent
- MeridianToss
- Tupelobuy
- Greenvilleinsufficient-data
Missouri13 cities
- Kansas Cityrent
- St. Louisrent
- Springfieldrent
- Columbiarent
- Independencerent
- Lee's Summitrent
- O'Fallonrent
- St. JosephToss
- St. Charlesrent
- Blue Springsrent
- All 13 Missouri cities →
Nebraska7 cities
- Omaharent
- Lincolnrent
- Grand Islandrent
- Kearneyrent
- Fremontrent
- Norfolkrent
- North Platterent
Nevada7 cities
- Las Vegasrent
- Hendersonrent
- Renorent
- North Las Vegasrent
- Sparksrent
- Carson Cityrent
- Elkorent
New Hampshire7 cities
- Manchesterrent
- Nashuarent
- Concordrent
- Derryrent
- Rochesterrent
- Doverrent
- Portsmouthrent
New Jersey15 cities
- Newarkrent
- Jersey Cityrent
- Patersonrent
- Elizabethrent
- Lakewoodrent
- Trentonrent
- Camdenrent
- Passaicrent
- Union Cityrent
- East Orangerent
- All 15 New Jersey cities →
New Mexico8 cities
- Albuquerquerent
- Las Crucesrent
- Rio Ranchorent
- Santa Ferent
- Farmingtonrent
- ClovisToss
- Hobbsrent
- Alamogordorent
New York16 cities
- New Yorkrent
- Buffalorent
- Rochesterrent
- Yonkersrent
- SyracuseToss
- Albanyrent
- White Plainsrent
- Mount Vernonrent
- New Rochellerent
- Schenectadyrent
- All 16 New York cities →
North Carolina20 cities
- Charlotterent
- Raleighrent
- Greensbororent
- Durhamrent
- Winston-Salemrent
- Fayettevillerent
- Caryrent
- Wilmingtonrent
- High Pointrent
- Ashevillerent
- All 20 North Carolina cities →
North Dakota5 cities
- Fargorent
- Bismarckrent
- Grand Forksrent
- Minotrent
- West Fargorent
Ohio17 cities
- Columbusrent
- ClevelandToss
- Cincinnatirent
- ToledoToss
- Daytonrent
- Cantonrent
- Akronrent
- YoungstownToss
- ParmaToss
- Lorainrent
- All 17 Ohio cities →
Oklahoma11 cities
- Tulsarent
- Normanrent
- Broken Arrowrent
- LawtonToss
- Oklahoma Cityrent
- Edmondrent
- Moorerent
- Midwest Cityrent
- EnidToss
- Stillwaterrent
- All 11 Oklahoma cities →
Oregon14 cities
Pennsylvania13 cities
- PhiladelphiaToss
- Pittsburghrent
- Readingrent
- Allentownrent
- Erierent
- Bethlehemrent
- Lancasterrent
- ScrantonToss
- Harrisburgrent
- Yorkrent
- All 13 Pennsylvania cities →
Rhode Island7 cities
- Providencerent
- Warwickrent
- Cranstonrent
- Pawtucketrent
- East Providencerent
- Woonsocketrent
- Newportrent
South Carolina13 cities
- Columbiarent
- Spartanburgrent
- Greenvillerent
- Charlestonrent
- North Charlestonrent
- Mount Pleasantrent
- Rock Hillrent
- Summervillerent
- Goose Creekrent
- Hilton Head Islandrent
- All 13 South Carolina cities →
South Dakota5 cities
- Sioux Fallsrent
- Rapid Cityrent
- Aberdeenrent
- Brookingsrent
- Watertowninsufficient-data
Tennessee16 cities
- Nashvillerent
- Memphisrent
- Knoxvillerent
- Chattanoogarent
- Clarksvillerent
- Murfreesbororent
- Franklinrent
- Jacksonrent
- Johnson Cityrent
- Bartlettrent
- All 16 Tennessee cities →
Texas54 cities
- Houstonrent
- San Antoniorent
- Dallasrent
- Austinrent
- Fort Worthrent
- Arlingtonrent
- Corpus Christirent
- Planorent
- Laredorent
- Lubbockrent
- All 54 Texas cities →
Utah14 cities
- Salt Lake Cityrent
- West Valley Cityrent
- Provorent
- West Jordanrent
- Oremrent
- Sandyrent
- Ogdenrent
- St. Georgerent
- Laytonrent
- Taylorsvillerent
- All 14 Utah cities →
Vermont5 cities
- Burlingtonrent
- South Burlingtonrent
- Rutlandrent
- Barrerent
- Montpelierrent
Virginia17 cities
- Virginia Beachrent
- Norfolkrent
- Chesapeakerent
- Richmondrent
- Newport Newsrent
- Alexandriarent
- Hamptonrent
- Lynchburgrent
- Roanokerent
- Suffolkrent
- All 17 Virginia cities →
Washington18 cities
West Virginia6 cities
- CharlestonToss
- Huntingtonbuy
- Morgantownrent
- Parkersburgrent
- WheelingToss
- Weirtoninsufficient-data
Wisconsin13 cities
- Milwaukeerent
- Madisonrent
- Green Bayrent
- Appletonrent
- Oshkoshrent
- Eau Clairerent
- Janesvillerent
- West Allisrent
- La Crosserent
- Sheboyganrent
- All 13 Wisconsin cities →
Don't see your city?
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