Renting remains cheaper than buying in metro Atlanta
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It's still cheaper to rent than own a home in metro Atlanta, according to a new LendingTree analysis. But not by much.
Why it matters: Housing costs have soared nationwide, with stubbornly high home prices and mortgage rates weighing on would-be buyers.
- Homeowners with a mortgage now pay around 37% more per month than renters, researchers found.
By the numbers: The median monthly gross rent was $1,770 in 2024, based on the latest available census data, compared to over $2,127 a month for mortgaged homes.
- The roughly 20% price difference is one of the lowest among the 100 metros analyzed by LendingTree.
The big picture: In 22 of the 100 largest metros, owning costs at least 50% more each month than renting, including utilities, fees and taxes.
Northeastern metros — New York (76%), Bridgeport, Connecticut (75%), and Providence, Rhode Island (67%) — saw the biggest percentage differences between homeowners' and renters' bills.
- San Francisco posted the largest dollar difference, nearly $1,600.
What we're watching: President Trump has proposed a raft of policies meant to lower mortgage rates and boost home-buying demand.
- But making housing more affordable is easier said than done.