Rent vs. Buy in Wake County, NC

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

Median Home Price

$385,700

Median Rent

$1,412/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

22.8x

Homeownership Rate

64.3%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$1,950
Property Tax$241
Insurance$129

Total Monthly$2,320

Renting

Monthly Rent$1,412
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$1,437

In Wake County, buying costs approximately $908/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About Wake County, North Carolina

Wake County in North Carolina has a median household income of $96,734 and an effective property tax rate of 0.8%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 22.8x, renting may be more cost-effective in the short term.

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 North Carolina

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.