DATA & METHODS
Where the numbers come from — and when they were last touched.
A tool that asks you to trust its math should show its inputs and its maintenance record. This page lists every data source DwellQ uses, the date each was last refreshed, and a changelog of every meaningful change to our data and methods.
The method
DwellQ research uses a net worth comparison framework. Both paths—buying (building equity minus all ownership costs) and renting (investing the down payment plus monthly surplus)—are modeled month-by-month over the full holding period. Assumptions are documented, sensitivity-tested, and sourced from publicly available data. This is scenario analysis, not financial advice.
Every formula is inspectable in the product (“Show the Math” on any result), and the full framework is written up in our methodology article. A complete worked example is in the sample report.
Data sources
Zillow ZORI / ZHVIMetro median rents and home values used in market reports and landing city verdictszillow.com/research
U.S. Census Bureau (ACS)Property tax rates and housing characteristics by metrocensus.gov
FRED (St. Louis Fed)Mortgage rates, Case-Shiller home price indices, S&P 500 total returnfred.stlouisfed.org
Your inputsThe calculator itself runs entirely on the numbers you enter, in your browser — it stores no market data and sends nothing to our servers
What’s current, where
Landing page city verdictsJune 2026 snapshotComputed by the DwellQ engine from published metro medians
Market reports (13 metros)March 2026 snapshotZillow ZORI · Census ACS · FRED
Article libraryLast updated July 2026Same date the sitemap and article schema report
The calculatorAlways currentRuns on your inputs at the moment you enter them — no stored market data to go stale
Changelog
AUGUST 2026
Founder identity published — full name and LinkedIn on the landing page and founder story. Fixed annual-income sync between the wizard and advanced tax inputs.
JULY 2026
Q+ PDF report surfaced across the product. Refund policy unified to a single 30-day money-back guarantee. Offline support shipped and verified (the calculator now works in airplane mode).
JULY 2026
Landing page rebuilt — every city verdict and chart number on it is computed by the same engine the calculator uses, from published metro medians (June 2026 snapshot). Sample Q+ report published.
JULY 2026
Freshness plumbing — article schema dates now share one source of truth with the sitemap, so what we tell search engines always matches what changed.
MARCH 2026
Market report data snapshot — Zillow ZORI rents, Census ACS property taxes, and FRED rate data refreshed across all 13 metro reports.
FEBRUARY 2026
Article library first published — metro reports and strategy guides, each with sources cited.
This page is updated whenever data or methods meaningfully change. If a date above looks stale, that’s a real signal — email support@dwellq.io and we’ll explain or fix it.
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