Atlanta is among 18 of the 50 largest U.S. cities where it’s better to buy a home than rent one, according to a new analysis. 

Atlanta’s price-to-rent ratio puts it at No. 18 among the 50 most-populous cities in the study from real estate data firm Clever. The ratio compares the cost of buying a home to the cost of renting; a ratio of 15 or lower means it’s better to buy, while 21 or higher means it’s better to rent. Ratios in between 15 and 21 indicate the buy/rent decision may depend on individual circumstances, Clever said. 

Atlanta has a ratio of 15, alongside Cincinnati; Birmingham, Alabama; Philadelphia; Indianapolis; Houston; New York; and Louisville, Kentucky. 

In Atlanta, the average monthly rent payment is $1,930, while the average monthly mortgage payment is $2,343. Atlanta’s average home value is $357,947, compared to the national average of $417,936.  

Looking back, Atlanta’s home prices have increased by 104.7% since 2016, while rent prices have risen by 70.5%. In 2016, the typical monthly rent in Atlanta was $1,132, while the typical home value was $174,846. 

The top three cities for buying, with ratios of 12, are Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and Chicago, while the top three cities for renting, with ratios of 26, 30 and 38, respectively, are San Jose, California; San Francisco; and Seattle. Southern cities represented half of the 18 cities where it’s better to buy than rent, Clever noted.