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Dukes County, MA

Rent vs Own in Dukes County, Massachusetts

Real numbers, not rules of thumb: Dukes County's rent-vs-own math, drawn from actual property tax rates and HUD Fair Market Rents. Owner-occupied homes: 6,225.

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Renting is cheaper in Dukes County

Monthly numbers: $6,721 to own, $2,143 to rent a 2-BR. That is a $4,578/mo difference.

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

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

At a $1,165,800 median value, Dukes County property owners pay $5,828 a year in tax, a 0.50% effective rate. Under the default financing terms, the full monthly cost of owning -- mortgage, tax, insurance -- is $6,721, against $2,143/mo for a HUD-priced 2-bedroom rental. On those assumptions, renting is about $4,578/mo cheaper than owning before accounting for equity build-up or long-term appreciation.

The median household income in Dukes County is $125,786, which puts the home-price-to-income ratio at roughly 9.3x, a common affordability yardstick flags ratios above 5x as stretched. Property taxes alone consume 4.6% 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 $2,222/mo in FY2025 to $2,143/mo in FY2026; Dukes County's 2-bedroom figure decreased by $79/mo (-3.6%). That is in line with the modest single-digit annual FMR adjustment HUD applies in most counties.

Among the 14 Massachusetts counties with comparable data, Dukes County holds the 14 spot for relative buy-vs-rent value. It is the state's least buy-favorable county by 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
$6,721
Mortgage (P&I) $5,895
Property Tax $486
Insurance (est.) $340
Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)
$2,143
Studio$1,623
1-Bedroom$1,633
2-Bedroom$2,143
3-Bedroom$2,980
4-Bedroom$3,164

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$125,786
$10,482/mo
Home Price / Income
9.3x
Expensive (>5x)
Tax-to-Income Ratio
4.6%
National benchmark: 2-4%

Nearby Counties

Middlesex County
Home: $727,800 Tax: $7,501/yr
Worcester County
Home: $423,700 Tax: $5,438/yr
Essex County
Home: $619,100 Tax: $6,430/yr
Norfolk County
Home: $683,900 Tax: $7,261/yr
Plymouth County
Home: $556,000 Tax: $6,502/yr
Bristol County
Home: $451,200 Tax: $4,807/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dukes County, Massachusetts? ▼
Buying comes out ahead in Dukes County under the standard 20%-down, 6.5% assumptions used on this page, by roughly $4,578 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 Dukes County? ▼
$1,165,800, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. The property tax on that value works out to roughly 0.50% a year, in line with typical rates for the area.
What is the average rent in Dukes County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $2,143/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $1,541/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 Dukes County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $125,786 household here can afford up to $377,358 -- about $788,442 short of this county's $1,165,800 median home. That gap is typically closed with a larger down payment, dual incomes, or a longer search outside the median price band.
Is rent going up or down in Dukes County? ▼
Comparing HUD's FY2025 and FY2026 Fair Market Rent figures for Dukes County shows a fallen 2-bedroom rate 3.6%. HUD updates this annually from local rent surveys, and one year's change isn't necessarily the start of a longer trend.
How does Dukes County compare to other Massachusetts counties for renting vs buying? ▼
On buy-vs-rent value, Dukes County sits at rank 14 among 14 Massachusetts counties tracked here, putting it in the more rent-favorable quarter of the state. See the <a href="/states/massachusetts">Massachusetts 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 →