BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Is it cheaper to be a renter or a homeowner near you?

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

Mortgage Calculator

This calculator helps you estimate your monthly mortgage payment. It adds up the loan payment (principal + interest), property tax, and insurance. The loan payment is spread out over the years of your loan term.

This is the total amount you're borrowing from the bank.
This is the yearly interest rate on your loan.
This is how long you'll take to repay the loan.
This is the yearly tax you pay on your property.
This is the yearly cost to insure your home.

Monthly Payment Breakdown

Principal and Interest: $

Property Tax: $

Homeowners Insurance: $

Total Estimated Monthly Payment: $

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

(NEXSTAR) — Mortgage rates have more than doubled over the last year in the U.S., and following the latest interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve, it doesn’t appear as though buying a home will get any easier anytime soon.

Despite the seemingly alarming costs of homebuying right now, in some cities renting may not be much cheaper.

After analyzing nearly 600 cities in the U.S. and reviewing the average mortgage and rent payments outlined in a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, SmartAsset found that in six cities — all in Florida or Arizona — buying a home may be cheaper than renting.

The city with the largest difference between mortgage and rent payments was Surprise, Arizona. SmartAsset found the city, located northwest of Phoenix, had a surprising $192 difference between the average rent payment, $1,692, and the average mortgage, $1,500.

In another Arizona city, Avondale, the average rent is $93 more expensive than the average mortgage, the fourth-largest difference on SmartAsset’s list.

Rounding out the list of locations where mortgages are cheaper than renting were Florida cities Deltona, Palm Bay, Kissimmee and Palm Coast.

Here’s the dollar difference in those cities where renting is, on average, more expensive than a mortgage:

CityAverage MortgageAverage RentDollar Difference
Surprise, AZ$1,500$1,692$−192
Deltona, FL$1,187$1,355$−168
Palm Bay, FL$1,174$1,304$−130
Avondale, AZ$1,499$1,592$−93
Kissimmee, FL$1,281$1,361$−80
Palm Coast, FL$1,369$1,403$−34

Narrowly missing the above list was North Port, Florida, where the average mortgage is just $2 more expensive than the average rent.

North Port is one of 15 cities SmartAsset found to have a difference of less than $100 between average mortgage and rent payments. Yet again, Florida comprised roughly half of the cities. Three Indiana cities also sport low dollar differences in housing costs.

SmartAsset found in 10 cities — half of which fall in California — renting is, on average, more affordable than home ownership.

That’s especially true in Berkeley, California, where renting is roughly $2,000 cheaper than making a mortgage payment — $1,923 versus $3,967, according to the report. Berkeley is the only city with a range of more than $2,000 between the housing payments.

Based on SmartAsset’s analysis, those living in these 10 cities may want to opt for renting rather than homeownership:

CityAverage MortgageAverage RentDollar Difference
Berkeley, CA$3,967$1,923$2,044
Santa Monica, CA$4,000$2,157$1,843
San Francisco, CA$3,964$2,167$1,797
Newton, MA$4,000$2,210$1,790
New Rochelle, NY$3,538$1,811$1,727
Redmond, WA$3,728$2,061$1,667
Union City, NJ$3,058$1,410$1,648
Yorba Linda, CA$3,567$1,951$1,616
Santa Barbara, CA$3,782$2,167$1,615
Elizabeth, NJ$2,864$1,253$1,611

In over 70 cities, mortgage payments are at least $1,000 more expensive than the average rent.

Across all of the cities it analyzed, SmartAsset found Fort Smith, Arkansas, had the lowest average rent at $677, while Palo Alto, California, had the most expensive at $3,063.

Flint, Michigan, had the cheapest average mortgage at $866. Newton, Massachusetts, and eight California cities — Palo Alto, Dublin, San Ramon, Newport Beach, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Pleasanton and Santa Monica — had the highest at $4,000. SmartAsset notes that, for some of these cities, the average mortgage payment was listed as “$4,000+” in the data they reviewed.

SmartAsset’s analysis didn’t take into account the other costs of buying a home, such as agent fees and real estate transfer taxes. It also doesn’t account for maintenance or repair costs that can come with a home but, for renters, may be covered by their rental company or landlord.

Your Money

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

71°F Sunny Feels like 71°
Wind
6 mph SW
Humidity
28%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
47°F A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph N
Precip
9%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous