Housing Cost Explorer
Compare neighborhoods, search a specific address, and see when buying really starts to win.
Start Here
Hover for a quick snapshot, click a ZIP for the full breakdown, or search a specific address for a more tailored read.
Scenario Builder
Change financing, hold period, property type, and dollar basis to see how the break-even picture shifts.
Time
Use play to watch each market move through booms, busts, and rate cycles.
Core Assumptions
Advanced Assumptions
Search a neighborhood to see the blended local picture before drilling into a specific ZIP.
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How It Works
Buy vs Rent compares the all-in cost of owning versus renting across San Francisco, NYC, Washington DC, and South Florida from 2000 through 2026.
Green means buying breaks even relatively quickly. Red means renting stays financially stronger for longer. Yellow is closer to a toss-up.
30+ public datasets including Zillow, Census ACS and PUMS, FRED, Redfin, HUD FMR, BLS CPI, and city-specific assessor and tax records.
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