La Crosse, WI

Rent vs buy in La Crosse

Median home $235,300. A 1 bedrooms rents for $904 a month. Ownership is modelled at 20% down, 6.5% APR, property tax and upkeep.

Rent · 1 bedrooms: $904; per month
Own the median home: $1,704; P&I, tax, insurance, upkeep
Owning costs extra: $800; per month, same metro

What a purchase actually costs

20% down payment$47,060
Mortgage at 6.5%$1,190
Property tax (1.52% of value)$298/mo · $3,577/yr
Insurance and upkeep (1.1%/yr)$216
Total monthly ownership$1,704

Months of leftover to save the down payment

At $2,625 left over a month, it takes about 18 months (1.5 years) to save $47,060 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.