Below is an updated list of rent ratios — the price of a typical home divided by the annual cost of renting that home — for 55 metropolitan areas across the country.
We last covered this subject about eight months ago, and you’ll notice that most ratios have not changed much since then. A good rule of thumb is that you should often buy when the ratio is below 15 and rent when the ratio is above 20. If it’s between 15 and 20, lean toward renting — unless you find a home you really like and expect to stay there for many years.
| Metro area | Ratio |
| East Bay, Calif. | 35.9 |
| Honolulu | 34.4 |
| San Jose, Calif. | 32.7 |
| San Francisco | 27.9 |
| Seattle | 27.3 |
