Is Butte County, CA good for real estate investing?

Butte County has an investment score of 46/100, rated as "Hold". The county ranks #667 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Butte?

The rent-to-price ratio in Butte County is 4.56% annually, which ranks in the 17th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Butte?

The median home price in Butte County is $401,873. This ranks #870 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Butte?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Butte County would generate negative cash flow of $1,114/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Butte County

CaliforniaPopulation: 213,605

/100

Hold

#667 of 1,000 counties

#19 in California (58 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated August 31, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$401,873

Median Home Price

75% above national median

$1,527/mo

Median Rent

5% above national median

4.56%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 83% nationally

-$1,114

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,527/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$301,405	-$587/mo	4.0%	-10.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$401,873	-$1,114/mo	3.0%	-14.5%
125% of median newer / premium	$502,342	-$1,640/mo	2.4%	-17.0%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$401,873

Down Payment (20%)$80,375

Loan Amount$321,498

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,527

Monthly P&I-$2,107

Est. Expenses (35%)-$534

Net Cash Flow-$1,114/mo

3.0%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.56%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.0% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

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Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

46/100

Cash Flow(30%)

38/100

Based on 4.56% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

53/100

Based on 0.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

44/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.56%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,114/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.0% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

213,605

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
StanislausCA	47	$458,196	$2,070	5.42%	Hold	View
CurrentButteCA	46	$401,873	$1,527	4.56%	Hold
MercedCA	46	$412,344	$1,973	5.74%	Hold	View
YubaCA	45	$410,114	$1,828	5.35%	Hold	View
MonoCA	44	$724,996	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
SolanoCA	44	$567,245	$2,418	5.11%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

HoldButte is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Butte County in California scores 46/100, ranking #667 of 1,000 US counties (top 85%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $1114/month; the 4.56% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,114/mo

Cap Rate

3.0%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.5%

Related markets

Markets like Butte with stronger cash flow

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in California →

Rent vs buy in California cities

Rent vs buy in Los Angeles, CAMedian $859,958 · rent $2,809/mo Rent vs buy in San Diego, CAMedian $910,765 · rent $2,933/mo Rent vs buy in San Jose, CAMedian $1,578,502 · rent $3,419/mo Rent vs buy in San Francisco, CAMedian $1,245,307 · rent $3,680/mo Rent vs buy in Sacramento, CAMedian $518,553 · rent $2,149/mo All California citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

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