Best Overall Real Estate Markets to Invest In (2026)
The overall score blends cash flow, appreciation, stability, and affordability rather than optimizing for any single one. Use this list when you want a market that is good across the board instead of extreme in one direction.
Top 50 markets, ranked
Lenoir County, NC leads with a median price of $152,691, median rent of $1,220, and a 6.2% cap rate. Click any market for the full county report, or run its numbers in the calculator.
| # | Market | Score | Median price | Median rent | Cap rate | Cash flow | Analyze |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lenoir County, NC | 84 | $152,691 | $1,220 | 6.2% | -$7 | Run numbers |
| 2 | Macon County, IL | 83 | $127,195 | $1,003 | 6.2% | -$15 | Run numbers |
| 3 | Garfield County, OK | 83 | $142,534 | $1,268 | 6.9% | $77 | Run numbers |
| 4 | Saint Lawrence County, NY | 82 | $150,602 | $1,197 | 6.2% | -$11 | Run numbers |
| 5 | Clearfield County, PA | 82 | $137,762 | $1,087 | 6.2% | -$16 | Run numbers |
| 6 | Huron County, OH | 82 | $199,799 | $1,701 | 6.6% | $58 | Run numbers |
| 7 | Hinds County, MS | 81 | $130,448 | $1,303 | 7.8% | $163 | Run numbers |
| 8 | Orangeburg County, SC | 81 | $164,481 | $1,318 | 6.3% | -$5 | Run numbers |
| 9 | Caddo Parish, LA | 80 | $151,879 | $1,162 | 6.0% | -$41 | Run numbers |
| 10 | Peoria County, IL | 80 | $166,664 | $1,217 | 5.7% | -$83 | Run numbers |
| 11 | Taylor County, TX | 80 | $227,401 | $2,011 | 6.9% | $115 | Run numbers |
| 12 | Steuben County, NY | 80 | $174,606 | $1,315 | 5.9% | -$61 | Run numbers |
| 13 | Vermilion County, IL | 80 | $105,054 | $869 | 6.5% | $14 | Run numbers |
| 14 | Montgomery County, AL | 79 | $165,606 | $1,366 | 6.4% | $20 | Run numbers |
| 15 | Schuylkill County, PA | 79 | $167,130 | $1,213 | 5.7% | -$88 | Run numbers |
| 16 | Comanche County, OK | 79 | $158,381 | $1,129 | 5.6% | -$96 | Run numbers |
| 17 | Vermilion Parish, LA | 79 | $160,267 | $1,663 | 8.1% | $240 | Run numbers |
| 18 | Jefferson County, TX | 78 | $177,853 | $1,310 | 5.8% | -$81 | Run numbers |
| 19 | Kanawha County, WV | 78 | $154,657 | $1,266 | 6.4% | $12 | Run numbers |
| 20 | Potter County, TX | 78 | $152,522 | $1,060 | 5.4% | -$111 | Run numbers |
| 21 | Chemung County, NY | 78 | $166,792 | $1,135 | 5.3% | -$137 | Run numbers |
| 22 | Lauderdale County, MS | 78 | $125,825 | $1,279 | 7.9% | $172 | Run numbers |
| 23 | Iberia Parish, LA | 78 | $145,664 | $1,292 | 6.9% | $77 | Run numbers |
| 24 | Darlington County, SC | 78 | $171,127 | $1,226 | 5.6% | -$100 | Run numbers |
| 25 | Saginaw County, MI | 77 | $177,213 | $1,134 | 5.0% | -$192 | Run numbers |
| 26 | Cambria County, PA | 77 | $102,271 | $875 | 6.7% | $33 | Run numbers |
| 27 | Adams County, IL | 77 | $189,629 | $1,288 | 5.3% | -$157 | Run numbers |
| 28 | Washington County, OK | 77 | $187,415 | $1,261 | 5.3% | -$163 | Run numbers |
| 29 | Lucas County, OH | 76 | $178,884 | $1,200 | 5.2% | -$158 | Run numbers |
| 30 | Mahoning County, OH | 76 | $178,426 | $1,113 | 4.9% | -$212 | Run numbers |
| 31 | Trumbull County, OH | 76 | $173,886 | $1,013 | 4.5% | -$253 | Run numbers |
| 32 | Broome County, NY | 76 | $204,090 | $1,331 | 5.1% | -$205 | Run numbers |
| 33 | Bibb County, GA | 76 | $172,704 | $1,252 | 5.7% | -$92 | Run numbers |
| 34 | Florence County, SC | 76 | $204,380 | $1,440 | 5.5% | -$136 | Run numbers |
| 35 | Blair County, PA | 76 | $180,150 | $1,080 | 4.7% | -$242 | Run numbers |
| 36 | Robeson County, NC | 76 | $136,897 | $1,192 | 6.8% | $57 | Run numbers |
| 37 | Dougherty County, GA | 76 | $125,637 | $1,016 | 6.3% | $2 | Run numbers |
| 38 | Belmont County, OH | 76 | $136,165 | $926 | 5.3% | -$112 | Run numbers |
| 39 | Harrison County, WV | 76 | $150,126 | $1,105 | 5.7% | -$69 | Run numbers |
| 40 | Walker County, AL | 76 | $164,975 | $1,283 | 6.1% | -$31 | Run numbers |
| 41 | Russell County, AL | 76 | $198,898 | $1,383 | 5.4% | -$144 | Run numbers |
| 42 | Seneca County, OH | 76 | $180,543 | $1,188 | 5.1% | -$175 | Run numbers |
| 43 | Wayne County, MI | 75 | $179,490 | $1,433 | 6.2% | -$10 | Run numbers |
| 44 | Saint Clair County, IL | 75 | $181,995 | $1,358 | 5.8% | -$71 | Run numbers |
| 45 | Muscogee County, GA | 75 | $187,510 | $1,320 | 5.5% | -$125 | Run numbers |
| 46 | Wichita County, TX | 75 | $171,666 | $1,297 | 5.9% | -$57 | Run numbers |
| 47 | Bay County, MI | 75 | $188,669 | $1,121 | 4.6% | -$260 | Run numbers |
| 48 | Allen County, OH | 75 | $194,196 | $1,190 | 4.8% | -$245 | Run numbers |
| 49 | Cabell County, WV | 75 | $170,231 | $1,092 | 5.0% | -$182 | Run numbers |
| 50 | Cattaraugus County, NY | 75 | $168,000 | $1,061 | 4.9% | -$191 | 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 overall investment score, a weighted blend of cash flow, appreciation, stability, and affordability. 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 Appreciation Markets for Real Estate Investors
US counties ranked by appreciation score, blending recent home price growth with the risk of an overheated market.
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.