Best Places to Buy Rental Property in Missouri (2026)

We ranked all 35 Missouri counties that have both a median home price and a median rent, ordered by the cap rate a median-priced rental would produce. Saint Louis City leads at 5.7%, with a median price of $176,514.

Missouri counties ranked by cap rate

#MarketCap rateMedian priceMedian rentCash flowAnalyze
1Saint Louis City, MO5.7%$176,514$1,287-$141Run numbers
2Jackson County, MO4.6%$247,543$1,446-$431Run numbers
3Scott County, MO4.5%$161,604$924-$295Run numbers
4Jasper County, MO4.4%$217,594$1,226-$408Run numbers
5Taney County, MO4.3%$245,474$1,344-$486Run numbers
6Pettis County, MO4.3%$197,598$1,082-$391Run numbers
7Jefferson County, MO4.2%$291,892$1,582-$589Run numbers
8Webster County, MO4.1%$268,140$1,419-$563Run numbers
9Buchanan County, MO4.1%$190,751$1,002-$405Run numbers
10Pulaski County, MO4.1%$231,876$1,217-$493Run numbers
11Saint Louis County, MO4.1%$285,675$1,490-$614Run numbers
12Newton County, MO4.1%$244,970$1,276-$528Run numbers
13Saint Francois County, MO4.0%$193,128$999-$420Run numbers
14Camden County, MO4.0%$323,721$1,659-$715Run numbers
15Lawrence County, MO3.8%$205,738$1,012-$482Run numbers
16Cass County, MO3.8%$341,122$1,675-$801Run numbers
17Clay County, MO3.8%$318,510$1,546-$759Run numbers
18Greene County, MO3.8%$255,838$1,229-$618Run numbers
19Christian County, MO3.7%$318,549$1,526-$773Run numbers
20Lincoln County, MO3.5%$316,603$1,435-$821Run numbers
21Franklin County, MO3.5%$264,684$1,196-$688Run numbers
22Saint Charles County, MO3.5%$372,123$1,664-$979Run numbers
23Boone County, MO3.5%$328,757$1,463-$870Run numbers
24Polk County, MO3.3%$275,796$1,180-$761Run numbers
25Cape Girardeau County, MO3.2%$242,411$1,008-$687Run numbers
26Platte County, MO3.2%$389,181$1,603-$1,114Run numbers
27Laclede County, MO3.2%$237,472$972-$683Run numbers
28Callaway County, MO3.2%$270,364$1,095-$786Run numbers
29Johnson County, MO3.0%$284,128$1,107-$855Run numbers
30Stone County, MO3.0%$325,735$1,258-$986Run numbers
31Warren County, MO2.9%$336,425$1,267-$1,040Run numbers
32Adair County, MO2.8%$197,650$716-$630Run numbers
33Phelps County, MO2.8%$232,325$822-$752Run numbers
34Lafayette County, MO2.8%$248,175$875-$806Run numbers
35Cole County, MO2.7%$285,878$1,005-$930Run numbers

Looking for every county in the state, including those without rent data? Browse the full Missouri market directory.

How this ranking is calculated

We scored 35 counties in Missouri and ranked them by capitalization rate, calculated as annual net operating income divided by median home price. 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 7.40%, 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.

National rankings

Compare Missouri against the rest of the country.

Other states

States with fewer than 5 counties reporting both price and rent are omitted, because a ranking that short would not be meaningful.

Run the numbers on a Missouri property

Start from Saint Louis City median values and replace them with a real listing price and rent to see whether the deal actually works.