Best Appreciation Markets for Real Estate Investors (2026)
These counties score highest on appreciation potential. The score rewards steady price growth in the three to eight percent range and penalizes markets running hot enough to look overheated, so it is not simply a list of the fastest recent gains.
Top 50 markets, ranked
Trumbull County, OH leads with a median price of $173,886, median rent of $1,013, and a 4.5% cap rate. Click any market for the full county report, or run its numbers in the calculator.
| # | Market | Price growth | Median price | Median rent | Cap rate | Cash flow | Analyze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trumbull County, OH | 7.9% | $173,886 | $1,013 | 4.5% | -$253 | Run numbers |
| 2 | Tazewell County, IL | 7.8% | $192,627 | $1,023 | 4.1% | -$345 | Run numbers |
| 3 | Indiana County, PA | 7.7% | $170,631 | $937 | 4.3% | -$286 | Run numbers |
| 4 | Grand Forks County, ND | 7.6% | $298,680 | $1,182 | 3.1% | -$797 | Run numbers |
| 5 | Reno County, KS | 7.8% | $158,949 | $836 | 4.1% | -$290 | Run numbers |
| 6 | Oneida County, NY | 7.4% | $240,539 | $1,446 | 4.7% | -$321 | Run numbers |
| 7 | Blair County, PA | 7.2% | $180,150 | $1,080 | 4.7% | -$242 | Run numbers |
| 8 | Crawford County, PA | 7.5% | $172,456 | $937 | 4.2% | -$295 | Run numbers |
| 9 | Isabella County, MI | 7.4% | $234,262 | $1,063 | 3.5% | -$537 | Run numbers |
| 10 | Fulton County, NY | 7.4% | $231,092 | $963 | 3.3% | -$586 | Run numbers |
| 11 | Saint Louis County, MN | 7.1% | $262,678 | $1,414 | 4.2% | -$458 | Run numbers |
| 12 | Kenosha County, WI | 6.9% | $339,334 | $1,697 | 3.9% | -$676 | Run numbers |
| 13 | Berrien County, MI | 7.1% | $285,496 | $1,333 | 3.6% | -$630 | Run numbers |
| 14 | Bay County, MI | 6.8% | $188,669 | $1,121 | 4.6% | -$260 | Run numbers |
| 15 | Montcalm County, MI | 7.1% | $243,783 | $1,517 | 4.8% | -$292 | Run numbers |
| 16 | Ionia County, MI | 6.9% | $269,153 | $1,321 | 3.8% | -$552 | Run numbers |
| 17 | Lenoir County, NC | 6.8% | $152,691 | $1,220 | 6.2% | -$7 | Run numbers |
| 18 | Jefferson Parish, LA | 6.5% | $274,691 | $1,495 | 4.3% | -$468 | Run numbers |
| 19 | Mahoning County, OH | 6.6% | $178,426 | $1,113 | 4.9% | -$212 | Run numbers |
| 20 | Peoria County, IL | 6.5% | $166,664 | $1,217 | 5.7% | -$83 | Run numbers |
| 21 | Rock County, WI | 6.6% | $301,239 | $1,242 | 3.2% | -$772 | Run numbers |
| 22 | Richland County, OH | 6.6% | $200,820 | $933 | 3.6% | -$446 | Run numbers |
| 23 | San Juan County, NM | 6.7% | $276,696 | $1,246 | 3.5% | -$641 | Run numbers |
| 24 | Allen County, OH | 6.8% | $194,196 | $1,190 | 4.8% | -$245 | Run numbers |
| 25 | Ashtabula County, OH | 6.7% | $184,924 | $898 | 3.8% | -$386 | Run numbers |
| 26 | Tuscarawas County, OH | 6.6% | $217,962 | $1,012 | 3.6% | -$485 | Run numbers |
| 27 | Madison County, NY | 6.7% | $265,879 | $1,191 | 3.5% | -$620 | Run numbers |
| 28 | Warren County, NY | 6.7% | $385,025 | $1,518 | 3.1% | -$1,031 | Run numbers |
| 29 | Buffalo County, NE | 6.6% | $307,959 | $1,467 | 3.7% | -$661 | Run numbers |
| 30 | Westchester County, NY | 6.5% | $886,668 | $3,183 | 2.8% | -$2,579 | Run numbers |
| 31 | Bergen County, NJ | 6.2% | $793,874 | $2,953 | 2.9% | -$2,242 | Run numbers |
| 32 | Onondaga County, NY | 6.4% | $290,079 | $1,659 | 4.5% | -$443 | Run numbers |
| 33 | Saint Joseph County, IN | 6.3% | $234,849 | $1,317 | 4.4% | -$375 | Run numbers |
| 34 | Broome County, NY | 6.4% | $204,090 | $1,331 | 5.1% | -$205 | Run numbers |
| 35 | Saginaw County, MI | 6.4% | $177,213 | $1,134 | 5.0% | -$192 | Run numbers |
| 36 | Rensselaer County, NY | 6.3% | $332,753 | $1,595 | 3.7% | -$708 | Run numbers |
| 37 | Monroe County, MI | 6.4% | $275,028 | $1,227 | 3.5% | -$644 | Run numbers |
| 38 | Ontario County, NY | 6.2% | $331,802 | $1,808 | 4.3% | -$564 | Run numbers |
| 39 | Kankakee County, IL | 6.3% | $228,870 | $1,410 | 4.8% | -$284 | Run numbers |
| 40 | Macon County, IL | 6.3% | $127,195 | $1,003 | 6.2% | -$15 | Run numbers |
| 41 | Dodge County, WI | 6.2% | $328,212 | $1,106 | 2.6% | -$1,002 | Run numbers |
| 42 | Buchanan County, MO | 6.2% | $196,794 | $1,062 | 4.2% | -$342 | Run numbers |
| 43 | Lee County, MS | 6.2% | $213,935 | $1,281 | 4.7% | -$289 | Run numbers |
| 44 | Clinton County, NY | 6.4% | $234,264 | $1,450 | 4.8% | -$286 | Run numbers |
| 45 | Wood County, WI | 6.3% | $236,897 | $1,149 | 3.8% | -$495 | Run numbers |
| 46 | Adams County, IL | 6.4% | $189,629 | $1,288 | 5.3% | -$157 | Run numbers |
| 47 | Crawford County, AR | 6.5% | $222,088 | $1,063 | 3.7% | -$473 | Run numbers |
| 48 | Grant County, WI | 6.3% | $232,026 | $1,279 | 4.3% | -$385 | Run numbers |
| 49 | Lake County, IL | 5.9% | $401,229 | $2,242 | 4.4% | -$646 | Run numbers |
| 50 | Waukesha County, WI | 6.0% | $512,586 | $1,803 | 2.7% | -$1,515 | Run numbers |
Showing the top 50 of 963 qualifying markets.
How this ranking is calculated
We scored 963 counties with a population over 50,000 and ranked them by appreciation score, which blends recent home price growth with an overheating penalty. Markets without both a median home price and a median rent are excluded, because cash flow cannot be estimated without both.
Every figure assumes a median-priced home rented at the local median rent, financed with 20 percent down on a 30-year loan at 6.85%, with closing costs at 3 percent of price and operating costs at 35 percent of rent. Operating costs cover taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and management.
These are modeled estimates for comparing markets, not quotes on a specific property. A real deal turns on the individual property, its condition, and the actual rent it can command. Run any market that interests you through the calculator with real numbers before you make an offer.
Other ways to rank markets
The best market depends on what you are optimizing for. These rankings measure different things and produce different lists.
Best Cash Flow Markets for Rental Property
US counties ranked by estimated monthly cash flow on a median-priced rental, after mortgage and operating costs.
Highest Cap Rate Markets for Rental Property
US counties ranked by estimated cap rate on a median-priced rental, using local median rent and a 35 percent operating cost assumption.
Best Rental Markets Under $200,000
US counties with a median home price under $200,000, ranked by estimated cap rate on a median-priced rental.
Cheapest Markets With Positive Cash Flow
The lowest-priced US counties where a median-priced rental still covers its mortgage and operating costs.
Best Overall Real Estate Markets to Invest In
US counties ranked by overall investment score, blending cash flow, appreciation, stability, and affordability.
Narrow it down by state
Check a real deal in this market
These are median-priced estimates. Put in the actual price, rent, taxes, and financing for a property you are looking at and see whether it clears your bar.