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Cochran County, TX

Rent vs Own in Cochran County, Texas

Comparing the real cost of owning against renting in Cochran County, built from actual property tax records and HUD Fair Market Rent data. Owner-occupied homes: 596.

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Buying is cheaper in Cochran County

Monthly numbers: $333 to own, $973 to rent a 2-BR. That is a $640/mo difference.

Based on 20% down, 6.5% rate, 30-year mortgage. Adjust below.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in Cochran County

At a $53,200 median value, Cochran County property owners pay $583 a year in tax, a 1.10% effective rate. Under the default financing terms, the full monthly cost of owning -- mortgage, tax, insurance -- is $333, against $973/mo for a HUD-priced 2-bedroom rental. On those assumptions, owning is about $640/mo cheaper than renting before accounting for maintenance, HOA fees, or closing costs.

The median household income in Cochran County is $45,313, which puts the home-price-to-income ratio at roughly 1.2x, a common affordability yardstick flags ratios above 5x as stretched. Property taxes alone consume 1.3% of median income, versus a 2%–4% national benchmark. These are median-household snapshots, not personalized numbers, your own rent-versus-own math depends on down payment, credit, mortgage rate, how long you plan to stay, and whether you itemize the property tax deduction on your federal return.

The year-over-year HUD comparison here runs from $933/mo in FY2025 to $973/mo in FY2026; Cochran County's 2-bedroom figure increased by $40/mo (+4.3%). That is in line with the modest single-digit annual FMR adjustment HUD applies in most counties.

Among the 250 Texas counties with comparable data, Cochran County holds the 3 spot for relative buy-vs-rent value. It sits ahead of 247 other Texas counties on this measure.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership
$333
Mortgage (P&I) $269
Property Tax $49
Insurance (est.) $16
Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)
$973
Studio$681
1-Bedroom$820
2-Bedroom$973
3-Bedroom$1,170
4-Bedroom$1,606

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$45,313
$3,776/mo
Home Price / Income
1.2x
Affordable (≤3x)
Tax-to-Income Ratio
1.3%
National benchmark: 2-4%

Nearby Counties

Harris County
Home: $276,600 Tax: $4,489/yr
Dallas County
Home: $303,000 Tax: $4,798/yr
Tarrant County
Home: $323,900 Tax: $5,334/yr
Bexar County
Home: $262,200 Tax: $4,535/yr
Travis County
Home: $523,000 Tax: $7,727/yr
Collin County
Home: $475,600 Tax: $7,521/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cochran County, Texas? ▼
Renting comes out ahead in Cochran County under the standard 20%-down, 6.5% assumptions used on this page, by roughly $640 a month. That gap narrows or reverses with a bigger down payment, a lower rate, or a longer time horizon (owning builds equity that renting doesn't), so treat the number as a starting point, not a verdict, and rerun it with your own terms in the calculator above.
What is the median home price in Cochran County? ▼
$53,200, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. The property tax on that value works out to roughly 1.10% a year, in line with typical rates for the area.
What is the average rent in Cochran County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $973/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $925/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.
How much house can you afford in Cochran County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $45,313 household here can afford up to $135,939, which comfortably covers this county's $53,200 median home price -- a healthier affordability picture than many of the counties tracked on this site.
Is rent going up or down in Cochran County? ▼
Between the FY2025 and FY2026 HUD publications -- the two most recent years tracked here -- Cochran County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 4.3%. These are annual revisions from local rent-survey data, so weigh a single year's move as one data point rather than a firm trend.
How does Cochran County compare to other Texas counties for renting vs buying? ▼
Cochran County ranks 3 of 250 Texas counties on this site's buy-vs-rent measure, putting it in the more buy-favorable quarter of the state. See the <a href="/states/texas">Texas property tax overview</a> for how neighboring counties stack up.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax Editorial

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025

Verify with HUD →