a landable guide
Low price-to-rent ratios. Cities where the mortgage on a median home is competitive with rent, and the equity upside is yours.
By Karol Gajda
The price-to-rent ratio tells you whether a market structurally favors buyers or renters. A low ratio (home price divided by a year of rent) means a mortgage competes with rent and the equity accrues to you instead of a landlord. A high ratio means renting is the smarter short-term play.
This list sorts by price-to-rent ratio, lowest first, and every blurb leads with that ratio using median home price divided by median annual rent. A ratio under 15 is generally considered buyer-favorable.
01
Photo by Michael Bowman on Unsplash
OH · 808k metro
Dayton leads on buy-versus-rent: a price-to-rent ratio of 9, well inside buyer-favorable territory, on a $139k median home and $1,321 rent.
8.8
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$139k
median home price
$1,321
median rent / month
02
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LA · 383k metro
Shreveport comes in second with a price-to-rent ratio of 11: a $176k median home against $1,308 monthly rent. Buying competes hard here.
11.2
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$176k
median home price
$1,308
median rent / month
03
AL · 412k metro
Mobile takes third: a price-to-rent ratio of 12, $194k median home price, $1,302 rent.
12.4
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$194k
median home price
$1,302
median rent / month
04
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LA · 414k metro
Lafayette posts a price-to-rent ratio of 13 on a $200k median home and $1,332 rent. The mortgage math favors owning.
12.5
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$200k
median home price
$1,332
median rent / month
05
Photo by Jonathan Rivera on Unsplash
PA · 2.4M metro
Pittsburgh earns its spot with a price-to-rent ratio of 13: $223k median home, $1,473 rent.
12.6
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$223k
median home price
$1,473
median rent / month
06
Photo by Talena Reese on Pexels
TX · 360k metro
Lubbock is the mid-list pick where buying still wins: price-to-rent ratio of 13, $211k median home.
12.7
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$211k
median home price
$1,384
median rent / month
07
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AL · 385k metro
Montgomery clears the bar with a price-to-rent ratio of 13, a $212k median home, and $1,376 rent.
12.8
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$212k
median home price
$1,376
median rent / month
08
Photo by Greg Bulla on Unsplash
TX · 872k metro
El Paso keeps buying competitive: a price-to-rent ratio of 13 on a $231k median home.
13.1
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$231k
median home price
$1,473
median rent / month
09
Photo by Hameen Reynolds on Unsplash
TX · 446k metro
Corpus Christi lands near the bottom of the ten and still favors buyers: price-to-rent ratio of 13, $221k median home.
13.1
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$221k
median home price
$1,410
median rent / month
10
Photo by James Mirakian on Pexels
NY · 653k metro
Syracuse rounds out the list: a price-to-rent ratio of 13, $254k median home price, $1,619 rent.
13.1
price-to-rent ratio (lower favors buying)
$254k
median home price
$1,619
median rent / month
We sort by price-to-rent ratio (median home price divided by one year of median rent), lowest first. The lower the ratio, the more buying competes with renting. No rent cap.
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