Bismarck, ND

Rent vs buy in Bismarck

Median home $295,500. A 1 bedrooms rents for $1,090 a month. Ownership is modelled at 20% down, 6.5% APR, property tax and upkeep.

Rent · 1 bedrooms: $1,090; per month
Own the median home: $1,989; P&I, tax, insurance, upkeep
Owning costs extra: $899; per month, same metro

What a purchase actually costs

20% down payment$59,100
Mortgage at 6.5%$1,494
Property tax (0.91% of value)$224/mo · $2,689/yr
Insurance and upkeep (1.1%/yr)$271
Total monthly ownership$1,989

Months of leftover to save the down payment

At $3,347 left over a month, it takes about 18 months (1.5 years) to save $59,100 if every leftover dollar goes to the down payment — which it won't.

Rent is asking rent for a new lease. Home value is the Census ACS median. The mortgage is a 30-year fixed at 6.5% with 20% down — a yardstick, not a quote. Not housing or lending advice.