Rent vs. Buy in Pennington County, MN

Should you rent or buy in Pennington County? Here are the numbers.

Median Home Price

$173,800

Median Rent

$935/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

15.5x

Homeownership Rate

72.6%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$879
Property Tax$181
Insurance$58

Total Monthly$1,118

Renting

Monthly Rent$935
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$960

In Pennington County, buying costs approximately $183/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About Pennington County, Minnesota

Pennington County in Minnesota has a median household income of $71,504 and an effective property tax rate of 1.3%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 15.5x, the rent-vs-buy decision is nuanced and depends on your timeline.

These are starting estimates based on county-level medians. Your actual costs depend on the specific property, your credit score, down payment, and dozens of other variables. Our Monte Carlo simulation models 10,000 scenarios to give you probability-weighted answers, not single-point estimates.

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Other Counties in Minnesota

County-level data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 5-Year Estimates. Additional sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Housing Finance Agency. Estimates are based on county-level medians and may not reflect specific neighborhoods or property types. This is not financial advice — consult a licensed professional before making housing decisions.