Is it cheaper to be a renter or a homeowner near you?
(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.
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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:
City | Average Mortgage | Average Rent | Dollar 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.
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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.
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Based on SmartAsset’s analysis, those living in these 10 cities may want to opt for renting rather than homeownership:
City | Average Mortgage | Average Rent | Dollar 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.
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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.
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