Rent vs Buy in Portland, OR

Should you rent or buy a home in Portland? Use our calculator with local market data to make an informed decision.

Median Home Price
$520,000
Median Rent
$1,900/mo
Property Tax Rate
0.93%
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.8x

Rent vs Buy in Portland, Oregon

Should you rent or buy a home? Calculate your best option.

Your Scenario

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%
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7 years
1 years30 years

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Adjust these sliders to see how different assumptions affect your decision.

Mortgage Rate7.00%
5%7%9%
Home Appreciation3.0%
0%3%5%
Rent Growth3.0%
0%3%6%
Time Horizon7 years
35710

💡 Tips

  • • Higher mortgage rates favor renting
  • • Higher home appreciation favors buying
  • • Higher rent growth favors buying
  • • Longer time horizons typically favor buying
🔑Renting is Better

You could save $46,135 by renting

Over 7 years

Monthly Cost (Rent)
$2,080
Average
Monthly Cost (Own)
$3,848
Average (excl. equity)
Total Rent Paid
$174,704
Total Owner Costs
$442,828
Final Equity
$221,989
After selling costs
Break-Even Year
Never
Beyond horizon

Upfront Costs to Buy

Down Payment (20%)$104,000
Closing Costs (3%)$15,600
Total Needed$119,600

Cost Comparison Over Time

$442,828$354,262$265,697$177,131$88,566$00y1y2y3y4y5y6y7y
Total Rent Paid
Total Owner Costs
Net Cost (After Equity)
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About Buying vs Renting in Portland

The decision to rent or buy in Portland, Oregon depends on many factors including your financial situation, how long you plan to stay, and current market conditions.

With a median home price of $520,000 and median rent of $1,900 per month, Portland has a price-to-rent ratio of 22.8. This relatively high ratio suggests renting may be more economical in the short term.

Use our calculator above to input your specific scenario and see a personalized analysis. Adjust the time horizon, mortgage rate, and other factors to explore different outcomes.