Housing Market Analysis · 2026

Rent vs Buy in Denver, CO

Local prices pre-filled. Adjust any input to match your situation.

Median Home Price $558,785
Median Rent $1,838/mo
Price-to-Rent Ratio 25x
YoY Price Change -3.2%
Income Needed $139K

Should you buy in Denver?

Price-to-Rent Ratio

25x — strongly favors renting

At 25x, Denver, CO is expensive relative to rents. Renters who invest the difference can often build more wealth unless home prices appreciate significantly.

Monthly Cost Gap

Buying currently costs roughly $2,179 more per month than renting the median unit in Denver, CO. That gap is the "opportunity cost" renters can invest — which is why the breakeven point matters so much here.

Price Trends

Home prices in Denver, CO declined 3.2% year-over-year, which creates potential buying opportunities but also signals some market softness worth monitoring.

Affordability

The income needed to qualify for a median home in Denver, CO is approximately $139K. Many middle-income households are weighing whether to buy now or continue renting.

Interactive Calculator — Denver Pre-filled

Values are set to Denver, CO medians. Change anything to match your scenario.

At 10 years

Renting wins by $261K

No breakeven in selected timeframe.

Home Purchase
$
%
%
%
$
%
$
Rent & Growth Assumptions
$ /mo
%
%
%
%
%
Down Payment$111,757
Closing Costs$16,764

Monthly Cost (Year 1)

Buy $4,017
Rent $1,838
Mortgage$2,914
Tax$512
Insurance$125
Maintenance$466

Wealth Over Time

Buyer Wealth $359,147
Renter Wealth $620,446
Breakeven No breakeven
YearBuyerRenterWinner
1$101K$165KRent
2$125K$203KRent
3$151K$245KRent
4$177K$289KRent
5$204K$335KRent
6$232K$385KRent
7$262K$438KRent
8$293K$495KRent
9$325K$556KRent
10$359K$620KRent

Common Questions — Renting vs Buying in Denver

Other CO Markets to Compare

See how the rent-vs-buy math stacks up in other CO cities.