The answer to “Should I rent or buy?” depends almost entirely on where you live and how long you plan to stay, according to a new Zillow Rent vs. Buy analysis. The typical home buyer breaks even relative to renting in about six years nationally, down from a peak of 8.4 years in October 2023. In affordable Midwest cities such as Columbus and Indianapolis, that window shrinks to just four years. In high-cost coastal markets such as San Francisco and San Jose, buying never surpasses renting over a full 30-year horizon.
“For generations, Americans have been told that buying a home is the smartest financial move they'll ever make. This analysis finds the truth is more complicated,” said Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow. “This research shows that both renting and buy
