Detroit - MI vs San Antonio - TX: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

San Antonio - TX is roughly 4% more expensive than Detroit - MI in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in San Antonio - TX (53 days vs 15), suggesting more buyer leverage there.

Detroit vs San Antonio: what the numbers say

At today's 7.24% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $1,441 a month in principal and interest in Detroit and $1,493 in San Antonio, a gap of $52 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,514 in Detroit and $1,415 in San Antonio, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.0 times rent in Detroit and 1.1 times rent in San Antonio, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 14.5 years of rent in Detroit and 16.1 in San Antonio; the lower ratio in Detroit means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved +5.2% in Detroit and -4.8% in San Antonio; over just the last three months the change was +0.3% in Detroit and -0.6% in San Antonio.

Homes sell for 99.5% of list price in Detroit and 97.2% in San Antonio, after 15 and 53 days on the market, with price cuts on 29% and 30% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in San Antonio.

The number of homes for sale is up 10% on a year ago in Detroit and up 4% on a year ago in San Antonio.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-29), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.