Rent vs. Buy: Price-to-Rent Ratios for 8 U.S. ZIP Codes (2026)
By Sharon Ben-Moshe · August 10, 2026
El Paso's price-to-rent ratio of 12.6 sits at one extreme; Corona, Queens's 25.8 sits at the other. See real Zillow price and rent data for 8 U.S. ZIP codes, and what the ratio means for the rent-vs-buy decision.
Dividing Zillow's median home price by 12 months of median rent produces a "price-to-rent ratio" that ranges from 12.6 in El Paso, TX to 25.8 in Queens, NY across eight real ZIP codes in NeighborScore's dataset. As a general guideline used in personal finance — not a NeighborScore metric — a ratio under roughly 15 tends to favor buying, while a ratio above roughly 20 tends to favor renting, with the range between depending on how long you plan to stay.
How the Price-to-Rent Ratio Works
The ratio divides a ZIP code's median home price by its annualized median rent (monthly rent × 12). A lower number means rent costs more relative to the purchase price, which tends to make buying the better financial deal if you stay long enough to cover transaction costs. A higher number means rent is cheap relative to the purchase price, which tends to favor renting and investing the difference. It's a starting point for comparison, not a complete financial analysis — property taxes, mortgage rates, and how long you plan to stay all matter too.
Eight ZIP Codes, Ranked by Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 79936, El Paso, TX: median price $225,000, median rent $1,491/mo — ratio 12.6
- 78521, Brownsville, TX: median price $233,700, median rent $1,352/mo — ratio 14.4
- 30044, Lawrenceville, GA: median price $363,000, median rent $1,767/mo — ratio 17.1
- 92336, Fontana, CA: median price $700,000, median rent $3,300/mo — ratio 17.7
- 60629, Chicago, IL: median price $320,000, median rent $1,434/mo — ratio 18.6
- 90011, Los Angeles, CA: median price $600,000, median rent $2,654/mo — ratio 18.8
- 10025, New York, NY (Upper West Side): median price $1,290,000, median rent $4,499/mo — ratio 23.9
- 11368, New York, NY (Corona, Queens): median price $830,000, median rent $2,678/mo — ratio 25.8
Why New York and El Paso Sit at Opposite Ends
El Paso's 79936 pairs a relatively low median price ($225,000) with rent that's high relative to that price ($1,491/month), producing a low 12.6 ratio typical of many Sun Belt Texas ZIP codes. Manhattan's 10025 inverts that relationship: a $1,290,000 median price against $4,499 monthly rent still produces a 23.9 ratio, because rents — while high in absolute dollars — are low relative to Manhattan's purchase prices. Queens' 11368 goes further still at 25.8, the highest of the eight ZIP codes here.
Bottom Line
Price-to-rent ratios across these eight ZIP codes span from 12.6 in El Paso to 25.8 in Corona, Queens — a reminder that "expensive" and "better to rent" aren't the same thing, and that the relationship between price and rent varies enormously by market. Full Zillow ZHVI and ZORI price and rent history for any ZIP code is available on its NeighborScore profile. See Zillow Research for the underlying index methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a price-to-rent ratio?
A ZIP code’s median home price divided by its annualized median rent (monthly rent × 12). Lower ratios tend to favor buying; higher ratios tend to favor renting.
Which ZIP code in this comparison has the lowest price-to-rent ratio?
El Paso, TX’s 79936 has the lowest ratio at 12.6, pairing a $225,000 median price with $1,491/month median rent.
Which ZIP code has the highest price-to-rent ratio?
Corona, Queens (11368) has the highest ratio at 25.8, with an $830,000 median price against $2,678/month median rent.
What price-to-rent ratio typically favors buying versus renting?
As a general personal-finance guideline — not a NeighborScore metric — a ratio under roughly 15 tends to favor buying, while a ratio above roughly 20 tends to favor renting; the range in between depends on how long you plan to stay.