Regional starting points
These county indices seed the comparison below. They cover different housing mixes; use comparable listings for your decision.
Typical home value
$278,518
Harris County, TX
· Zillow ZHVI
Zillow ZHVI county series · Retrieved . Coverage and method.
Typical monthly rent
$1,586 / month
Harris County, TX
· Zillow ZORI
Zillow ZORI county series · Retrieved . Coverage and method.
1 · Compare your options
What would each path cost?
Start with two homes that meet the same needs. A countywide home value and rent index can represent different sizes and property types.
Adjust tax and growth assumptions
Mortgage, growth and property tax rates are illustrative scenario assumptions. The starting 1.80% property-tax assumption is not a verified local rate. Check an estimate for your ownership, including all taxing districts and your eligible exemptions. The $1,800 annual home-insurance assumption also needs a property-specific quote. Check Texas taxes and insurance
Starting scenario · 10 years · Before income taxes
Renting and investing finishes $96,856 ahead
This compares projected home equity after selling costs with invested cash. It assumes the cheaper housing path invests the entire monthly difference. Changing that behavior can change the answer.
Buying cash at closing
$64,059
Down payment + 3% closing costs; reserves extra
First year buying catches up
Not within 30 years
Annual checkpoints under these assumptions
Monthly budget in year one
Includes housing costs and utilities. Principal builds equity but still leaves your bank account.
Calculated from your inputs using the RentalCalcs model. See costs, source periods and exclusions. Dollar amounts are rounded after calculation.
Renting leaves $846 more per month to invest in year one.
Monthly cost breakdown
Scroll the table sideways if needed.
| Cost | Renting | Buying |
|---|---|---|
| Rent / mortgage P&I | $1,586 | $1,482 |
| Property tax | $0 | $418 |
| Insurance | $17 | $150 |
| PMI | $0 | $0 |
| Maintenance reserve | $0 | $348 |
| HOA dues | $0 | $0 |
| Utilities | $150 | $200 |
| Total | $1,753 | $2,598 |
What if you move sooner or stay longer?
Wealth at each exit date, including a home sale. These are nominal dollars and modeled outcomes, not market forecasts.
Scroll the table sideways if needed.
| Exit year | Rent + invest | Buy + sell |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $111,238 | $65,997 |
| 5 | $146,661 | $88,924 |
| 10Your stay | $251,886 | $155,030 |
| 20 | $561,293 | $337,634 |
| 30 | $1,108,256 | $647,687 |
Take this scenario further
Change insurance, maintenance, transaction costs and other assumptions in the full calculator. All ten inputs above carry over.
Continue with these numbers →2 · Check the homes you are comparing
What matters for your decision in Houston?
Read the recorded restrictions before pricing a change of use
Houston’s deed-restriction guidance says subdivision agreements bind future owners and are recorded with the relevant county. The city’s enforcement authority covers specified restrictions, including use, setbacks, lot or structure size, orientation and certain fences. That limited public enforcement role is not a complete list of private obligations attached to a home.
Houston Legal Department deed-restriction enforcement scope · Undated current guidance citing City Code sections 10-551–10-555. Checked .
Houston explanation of recorded restrictions and future owners · Undated Planning and Development guidance. Checked .
Obtain the recorded restrictions, amendments and current association documents for the exact subdivision. Check any planned addition, business use or extra dwelling before treating it as a benefit of buying. Price the permitted project and any dues separately; a nearby property or a county housing index cannot establish what this parcel allows.
Compare actual homes with the same financing assumptions in Pearland or Sugar Land. Their local requirements and property costs may differ.
Property taxes after purchase
The 1.80% starting tax rate is an illustrative assumption, not a verified rate for this home. Check the address's county through the Texas local appraisal and tax office directory.
Request an annual estimate for your ownership from the local appraisal district and tax offices. Include the school district, city, county and any special districts, such as a MUD. The seller's exemptions and capped appraisal may not apply to you.
Texas homestead exemptions depend on eligibility and the taxing unit. The homestead appraisal limitation is not a cap on your total tax bill. This calculator does not determine exemptions or apply appraisal caps.
Enter your estimated annual total ÷ purchase price × 100 as the tax rate. For example, $9,000 a year on a $400,000 purchase is 2.25%, or $750 a month. Later years use the model's illustrative tax-growth assumption.
Condo dues and upcoming work
For a condo, enter the actual HOA dues and review the reserve study, meeting minutes and special assessments. The starting scenario uses $0 dues; that can understate a condo's cost.
Comparable space and location
Compare similar bedroom counts, commute needs, parking and outdoor space. A county home index and a county rent index do not describe a matched pair of homes.
Insurance quotes and cash reserves
The preview starts with $1,800 a year for home insurance, not a Texas quote. Homeowners policies exclude flood damage; some coastal homes need separate windstorm coverage. Check Texas insurance guidance, then enter your combined annual premiums in the full calculator. Keep deductibles in your cash reserve.
Try a three-year exit alongside your expected stay. Include moving costs, repairs and an emergency reserve in your real budget; the cash-at-closing figure does not include those reserves.
If you would rent out a room or unit, model a house hack separately so rental income and vacancy are explicit.
Looking for rent data or a rental investment?
For local rental research, browse Texas rent estimates by city and ZIP; ZIP coverage differs from these county indices. To evaluate a property you would rent to someone else, calculate rental cash flow and returns.
3 · Understand the comparison
Sources and assumptions
- Home value reference · Zillow ZHVI
- Harris County, TX (county FIPS 48201; Zillow region 1090). Observation: . All homes, mid-tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted. Retrieved . Download the Zillow ZHVI county series (CSV).
- Monthly rent reference · Zillow ZORI
- Harris County, TX (county FIPS 48201; Zillow region 1090). Observation: . All homes plus multifamily, smoothed, seasonally adjusted. Retrieved . Download the Zillow ZORI county series (CSV).
- How to use these indices
- Zillow's data definitions describe typical home values (ZHVI) and typical market rents (ZORI). They cover their respective housing stocks, not a matched pair of homes, Houston city medians or an individual property quote. ZIP-level and listing-based sources use different coverage and may differ. Published source files may be revised after retrieval.
- Financing and ownership costs
- 30-year conventional loan; 3% purchase closing costs; $1,800 yearly home insurance, growing 3%; maintenance at 1.5% of purchase price, growing 2.5%; property taxes growing 2%; $200 monthly owner utilities. PMI is modeled below 20% down at a 0.5% annual rate, until the modeled loan-to-value reaches 80%. All are illustrative assumptions.
- Renting and investing
- $200 yearly renter insurance and $150 monthly utilities. Renting starts with the buyer's down payment and closing costs invested. The path with lower ongoing housing costs invests the difference. Security deposits, broker fees and moving costs are excluded from this comparison.
- Selling and tax treatment
- Selling costs total 7.5% of future home value, including commissions, closing costs and sale preparation. Buyer wealth is equity after selling costs plus invested savings; renter wealth is the investment balance. This comparison excludes income-tax deductions and taxes on investment gains. Dollars are not inflation-adjusted.
Use the full calculator to adjust the remaining costs and explore additional scenarios. Its optional paid report does not gate the free comparison.
Houston rent vs buy questions
Does a lower monthly rent mean renting is better?
It helps your cash budget, but the wealth result also depends on what you invest, home value growth and when you move. Check both the monthly comparison and the exit-year table.
Why is there no universal Houston break-even year?
The answer changes with price, rent, financing and investment returns. “Not within 30 years” describes the modeled window, not a claim that buying can never catch up. A first crossover also does not guarantee buying stays ahead.
Can I compare a cash purchase?
Yes. Set the down payment to 100%. The rent scenario then invests the purchase cash and closing costs, so the opportunity cost of paying cash remains in the comparison.