Cheapest rent-to-own markets
Rent-to-own works best where monthly carrying costs are reachable on a typical household income. This ranks the U.S. by estimated monthly payment on a median-priced home with a 10% option fee.
Last updated
Top 25 nationally
| # | City | State | Est. monthly payment | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottsdale | AZ | $4,925/mo | 0 | View |
| 2 | Chandler | AZ | $4,580/mo | 0 | View |
| 3 | Gilbert | AZ | $4,708/mo | 0 | View |
| 4 | Litchfield Park | AZ | $4,323/mo | 0 | View |
| 5 | Cave Creek | AZ | $4,604/mo | 0 | View |
| 6 | Paradise Valley | AZ | $5,847/mo | 0 | View |
| 7 | Los Angeles | CA | $7,259/mo | 0 | View |
| 8 | San Diego | CA | $9,095/mo | 0 | View |
| 9 | San Jose | CA | $9,248/mo | 0 | View |
| 10 | San Francisco | CA | $9,560/mo | 0 | View |
| 11 | Sacramento | CA | $6,465/mo | 0 | View |
| 12 | Fresno | CA | $5,687/mo | 0 | View |
| 13 | Bakersfield | CA | $6,970/mo | 0 | View |
| 14 | Long Beach | CA | $7,098/mo | 0 | View |
| 15 | Riverside | CA | $7,042/mo | 0 | View |
| 16 | Oakland | CA | $7,732/mo | 0 | View |
| 17 | Stockton | CA | $5,679/mo | 0 | View |
| 18 | Anaheim | CA | $7,724/mo | 0 | View |
| 19 | Santa Ana | CA | $7,291/mo | 0 | View |
| 20 | Modesto | CA | $5,919/mo | 0 | View |
| 21 | Corona | CA | $8,582/mo | 0 | View |
| 22 | Chula Vista | CA | $8,309/mo | 0 | View |
| 23 | San Bernardino | CA | $4,636/mo | 0 | View |
| 24 | Fontana | CA | $6,986/mo | 0 | View |
| 25 | Irvine | CA | $9,047/mo | 0 | View |
By state
Top picks within each state. Click through for the full state-level ranking.
Alabama
AL- 1. Madison$2,366/mo
- 2. Owens Cross Roads$2,390/mo
- 3. Trussville$2,334/mo
Alaska
AK- 1. Anchorage$4,034/mo
- 2. Eagle River$3,986/mo
- 3. Juneau$3,786/mo
Arizona
AZ- 1. Scottsdale$4,925/mo
- 2. Chandler$4,580/mo
- 3. Gilbert$4,708/mo
Arkansas
AR- 1. Bentonville$2,013/mo
- 2. Little Rock$1,861/mo
- 3. Maumelle$1,765/mo
California
CA- 1. Los Angeles$7,259/mo
- 2. San Diego$9,095/mo
- 3. San Jose$9,248/mo
Colorado
CO- 1. Denver$5,101/mo
- 2. Colorado Springs$5,245/mo
- 3. Aurora$4,708/mo
Connecticut
CT- 1. Stamford$4,804/mo
- 2. Norwalk$4,443/mo
- 3. West Hartford$4,403/mo
Delaware
DE- 1. Hockessin$4,163/mo
- 2. Wilmington$3,986/mo
- 3. Middletown$3,898/mo
Florida
FL- 1. Fort Lauderdale$4,548/mo
- 2. Naples$4,451/mo
- 3. Boca Raton$4,620/mo
Georgia
GA- 1. Alpharetta$3,994/mo
- 2. Suwanee$3,786/mo
- 3. Duluth$3,738/mo
Hawaii
HI- 1. Honolulu$9,063/mo
- 2. Waipahu$8,686/mo
- 3. Ewa Beach$8,670/mo
Idaho
ID- 1. Eagle$4,588/mo
- 2. Hailey$4,219/mo
- 3. Boise$4,042/mo
Illinois
IL- 1. Winnetka$4,339/mo
- 2. Glencoe$4,451/mo
- 3. Lake Forest$4,123/mo
Indiana
IN- 1. Zionsville$3,080/mo
- 2. Carmel$2,960/mo
- 3. Granger$2,663/mo
Iowa
IA- 1. Urbandale$2,454/mo
- 2. West Des Moines$2,262/mo
- 3. Bettendorf$2,254/mo
Kansas
KS- 1. Leawood$3,008/mo
- 2. Overland Park$2,647/mo
- 3. Stilwell$2,631/mo
Kentucky
KY- 1. Prospect$2,695/mo
- 2. Ft Mitchell$2,174/mo
- 3. Union$2,166/mo
Louisiana
LA- 1. Mandeville$2,117/mo
- 2. Madisonville$2,117/mo
- 3. Prairieville$2,061/mo
Maine
ME- 1. Cape Elizabeth$4,387/mo
- 2. Falmouth$4,034/mo
- 3. Yarmouth$3,994/mo
Maryland
MD- 1. Silver Spring$4,724/mo
- 2. Gaithersburg$5,077/mo
- 3. Rockville$5,021/mo
Massachusetts
MA- 1. Boston$7,379/mo
- 2. Worcester$4,347/mo
- 3. Lowell$4,564/mo
Michigan
MI- 1. Bloomfield Hills$3,216/mo
- 2. West Bloomfield$2,895/mo
- 3. Birmingham$2,887/mo
Minnesota
MN- 1. Wayzata$4,299/mo
- 2. Excelsior$4,010/mo
- 3. Minneapolis$3,770/mo
Mississippi
MS- 1. Madison$1,981/mo
- 2. Brandon$1,636/mo
- 3. Ocean Springs$1,596/mo
Missouri
MO- 1. Chesterfield$3,200/mo
- 2. Ballwin$2,615/mo
- 3. Grover$2,591/mo
Montana
MT- 1. Billings$4,516/mo
- 2. Sidney$4,123/mo
- 3. Bozeman$3,858/mo
Nebraska
NE- 1. Elkhorn$2,526/mo
- 2. Papillion$2,494/mo
- 3. Bennington$2,470/mo
Nevada
NV- 1. Las Vegas$4,475/mo
- 2. Reno$4,347/mo
- 3. Henderson$4,620/mo
New Hampshire
NH- 1. Nashua$4,459/mo
- 2. Salem$4,860/mo
- 3. Merrimack$4,981/mo
New Jersey
NJ- 1. Jersey City$6,256/mo
- 2. Trenton$4,652/mo
- 3. Toms River$4,957/mo
New Mexico
NM- 1. Los Alamos$3,216/mo
- 2. Santa Fe$3,128/mo
- 3. Corrales$2,976/mo
New York
NY- 1. Brooklyn$4,307/mo
- 2. New York$6,553/mo
- 3. Staten Island$5,045/mo
North Carolina
NC- 1. Cary$3,914/mo
- 2. Waxhaw$3,794/mo
- 3. Davidson$3,665/mo
North Dakota
ND- 1. Williston$2,438/mo
- 2. Bismarck$2,326/mo
- 3. West Fargo$2,286/mo
Ohio
OH- 1. Chagrin Falls$2,759/mo
- 2. Hudson$2,775/mo
- 3. Powell$2,719/mo
Oklahoma
OK- 1. Edmond$2,318/mo
- 2. Broken Arrow$2,005/mo
- 3. Owasso$1,917/mo
Oregon
OR- 1. Portland$4,636/mo
- 2. Hillsboro$4,315/mo
- 3. Lake Oswego$5,630/mo
Pennsylvania
PA- 1. Villanova$4,524/mo
- 2. Berwyn$3,505/mo
- 3. Newtown$3,457/mo
Puerto Rico
PR- 1. Guaynabo$2,398/mo
- 2. San Juan$2,109/mo
- 3. Bayamon$2,109/mo
Rhode Island
RI- 1. Cranston$4,411/mo
- 2. Cumberland$4,700/mo
- 3. North Kingstown$4,459/mo
South Carolina
SC- 1. Hilton Head Island$3,120/mo
- 2. Mount Pleasant$3,072/mo
- 3. Fort Mill$2,952/mo
South Dakota
SD- 1. Sioux Falls$2,470/mo
- 2. Brandon$2,326/mo
- 3. Rapid City$2,214/mo
Tennessee
TN- 1. Brentwood$4,034/mo
- 2. Germantown$3,938/mo
- 3. Franklin$3,593/mo
Texas
TX- 1. Southlake$4,716/mo
- 2. Bellaire$4,259/mo
- 3. Colleyville$4,179/mo
Utah
UT- 1. Salt Lake City$4,475/mo
- 2. West Jordan$4,684/mo
- 3. Sandy$5,663/mo
Vermont
VT- 1. Williston$3,617/mo
- 2. Essex Junction$3,417/mo
- 3. Colchester$3,345/mo
Virginia
VA- 1. Alexandria$4,764/mo
- 2. Arlington$5,093/mo
- 3. Woodbridge$4,524/mo
Washington
WA- 1. Seattle$6,545/mo
- 2. Spokane$4,347/mo
- 3. Tacoma$4,852/mo
Washington D.C.
DC- 1. Washington$7,435/mo
West Virginia
WV- 1. Scott Depot$1,500/mo
- 2. Charles Town$1,452/mo
- 3. Bridgeport$1,436/mo
Wisconsin
WI- 1. Thiensville$3,473/mo
- 2. Brookfield$3,240/mo
- 3. Hudson$3,104/mo
Wyoming
WY- 1. Gillette$3,529/mo
- 2. Jackson$3,521/mo
- 3. Rock Springs$3,064/mo
Methodology
Estimated monthly payment = (median home price × 0.9) amortized at 8% over 30 years + 1.2% taxes + 0.5% insurance, divided by 12. Lower payment = better rent-to-own market.
FAQ
- What makes a the U.S. rent-to-own market 'cheap'?
- Low estimated monthly payment relative to local incomes. Sub-$1,500/month markets are the most accessible.
- Are option fees included?
- We assume 10% option fee credited toward purchase; the monthly payment estimate excludes that up-front amount.
- Does this guarantee a home at this price?
- No. Listings vary; this is a market-level estimate to compare cities side-by-side.
More reports
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