Rent vs Buy in California
Compare 117 cities across California. Find out whether renting or buying makes more financial sense in your area.
117cities analyzed
Avg Home:$855,133
Avg Rent:$2,757/mo
Avg Price/Rent:25.2
California Housing Market Summary
117
Cities Analyzed
0
Favor Buying
117
Favor Renting
0
Toss-Up
Across California's 117 analyzed cities, the majority (117 cities) favor renting over buying. High home prices relative to rents make renting more financially attractive in much of California.
The average home price in California is $855,133, with average rents at $2,757/month. This gives an average price-to-rent ratio of 25.2.
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All California Cities
Sorted by population. Click any city for detailed analysis.
| City | Median Price | Median Rent | Price/Rent | Break-even | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| San Diego | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| San Jose | $1,578,502.22 | $3,419.28 | 38.5 | N/A | Rent |
| San Francisco | $1,245,307.09 | $3,679.66 | 28.2 | N/A | Rent |
| Sacramento | $518,552.99 | $2,149.07 | 20.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Oakland | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Bakersfield | $357,337.79 | $1,781.98 | 16.7 | N/A | Rent |
| Anaheim | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Santa Ana | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Riverside | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Stockton | $523,017.36 | $2,355.82 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Chula Vista | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Irvine | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Fremont | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| San Bernardino | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Modesto | $458,196.29 | $2,069.78 | 18.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Oxnard | $859,802.95 | $2,941.25 | 24.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Fontana | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Moreno Valley | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Glendale | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Huntington Beach | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Santa Clarita | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Garden Grove | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Oceanside | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Santa Rosa | $769,170.62 | $2,611.99 | 24.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Rancho Cucamonga | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Ontario | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Elk Grove | $518,552.99 | $2,149.07 | 20.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Lancaster | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Corona | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Palmdale | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Salinas | $827,905.61 | $2,768.69 | 24.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Torrance | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Pomona | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Pasadena | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Escondido | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Sunnyvale | $1,578,502.22 | $3,419.28 | 38.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Hayward | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Fullerton | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Roseville | $670,919.32 | $2,593.19 | 21.6 | N/A | Rent |
| Visalia | $353,817.11 | $1,756.59 | 16.8 | N/A | Rent |
| Thousand Oaks | $859,802.95 | $2,941.25 | 24.4 | N/A | Rent |
| El Monte | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Simi Valley | $859,802.95 | $2,941.25 | 24.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Concord | $765,618.05 | $2,789.86 | 22.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Victorville | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Vallejo | $567,245.16 | $2,417.65 | 19.6 | N/A | Rent |
| Downey | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Berkeley | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Costa Mesa | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| El Cajon | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Inglewood | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Carlsbad | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Fairfield | $567,245.16 | $2,417.65 | 19.6 | N/A | Rent |
| West Covina | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Murrieta | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Ventura | $859,802.95 | $2,941.25 | 24.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Antioch | $765,618.05 | $2,789.86 | 22.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Temecula | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Norwalk | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Burbank | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Daly City | $1,511,224.03 | $3,462.63 | 36.4 | N/A | Rent |
| San Mateo | $1,511,224.03 | $3,462.63 | 36.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Rialto | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Jurupa Valley | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Clovis | $399,476.92 | $2,033.7 | 16.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Menifee | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Compton | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| South Gate | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Vista | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| San Leandro | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Hesperia | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Mission Viejo | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Vacaville | $567,245.16 | $2,417.65 | 19.6 | N/A | Rent |
| Carson | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Santa Maria | $959,050.79 | $3,276.28 | 24.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Westminster | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Newport Beach | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Redding | $364,563.86 | $1,597.59 | 19.0 | N/A | Rent |
| Chico | $389,815.79 | $1,615.62 | 20.1 | N/A | Rent |
| San Marcos | $910,764.62 | $2,932.81 | 25.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Whittier | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Hawthorne | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Citrus Heights | $518,552.99 | $2,149.07 | 20.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Alhambra | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Tracy | $523,017.36 | $2,355.82 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Livermore | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Buena Park | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Hemet | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Merced | $412,343.9 | $1,973.01 | 17.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Chino | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Indio | $598,126.49 | $2,553.58 | 19.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Redwood City | $1,511,224.03 | $3,462.63 | 36.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Lake Forest | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Napa | $868,337.45 | $2,886.63 | 25.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Tustin | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Bellflower | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Mountain View | $1,578,502.22 | $3,419.28 | 38.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Chino Hills | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Baldwin Park | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Alameda | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Upland | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| San Ramon | $765,618.05 | $2,789.86 | 22.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Pleasanton | $1,041,956.05 | $2,718.48 | 31.9 | N/A | Rent |
| Lynwood | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Folsom | $518,552.99 | $2,149.07 | 20.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Redlands | $541,638.41 | $2,439.75 | 18.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Yorba Linda | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Palo Alto | $1,578,502.22 | $3,419.28 | 38.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Camarillo | $859,802.95 | $2,941.25 | 24.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Walnut Creek | $765,618.05 | $2,789.86 | 22.9 | N/A | Rent |
| South San Francisco | $1,511,224.03 | $3,462.63 | 36.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Milpitas | $1,578,502.22 | $3,419.28 | 38.5 | N/A | Rent |
| Pittsburg | $765,618.05 | $2,789.86 | 22.9 | N/A | Rent |
| San Clemente | $1,139,097.82 | $3,154.03 | 30.1 | N/A | Rent |
| Fresno | $399,476.92 | $2,033.7 | 16.4 | N/A | Rent |
| Long Beach | $859,957.76 | $2,809.35 | 25.5 | N/A | Rent |
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