Rent vs buy in Las Vegas, NV
A 7-year breakeven using this ZIP's actual home-value and rent trends, not national averages. ZIP 89101 (Clark County).
Renting wins in Las Vegas over 7 years by about $24,492 — buying only beats it if prices appreciate faster than projected.
7-year cost comparison
$125,978
Net cost over 7 years after equity
Equity built: $178,680
$101,486
Total rent paid over 7 years
No equity, no selling costs
Assumes 20% down, 6.75% rate, 3.9%/yr price growth and 2.8%/yr rent growth (this ZIP's 5-yr trend).
Price-to-rent ratio
23.2x
Favors renting — price is high relative to rent
Price-to-income
4.0x
Moderate (3–5x — tighter budgets)
5-yr price CAGR
3.9%
Annualized home-value growth
Las Vegas — rent vs buy questions
Is Las Vegas, NV a good rental market?
Tough for cash flow. At 23.2x, Las Vegas is appreciation-driven — most investors here bank on equity growth, not monthly rent spread.
What is the median home value in Las Vegas?
The typical home value in Las Vegas is about $309,197 (ZIP-level market index, cross-checked against the Census ACS county median updated by FHFA HPI), down 2.8% year-over-year, and up 20.9% over five years.
What is the median rent in Las Vegas?
The typical rent in Las Vegas is about $1,112/mo (ZIP-level market-rent index, cross-checked against HUD Small Area FMR), down 2.0% year-over-year.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Las Vegas?
Over a 7-year horizon, renting is cheaper in Las Vegas by about $24,492 — buying only pays off if prices appreciate faster than projected.
Is Las Vegas affordable for homebuyers?
Las Vegas's median home value is 4.0x the local median household income — Moderate (3–5x — tighter budgets).
Data: FHFA HPI, Census ACS, HUD FMR, FBI CDE. For research only — verify before deciding.