Massac County

Massac County sits at a median home price of $112,844, which puts it among the most affordable entry points in Illinois and, notably, ranked 4th nationally out of 1,000 counties in this dataset. The affordability index hits 100, the ceiling, and the appreciation score of 89 reflects a 6.11% year-over-year price gain that is meaningful for a county at this price level. The cash flow score, however, comes in at 0, and the cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and estimated monthly cash flow are all zeroed out in the provided data, which signals that the rent-to-price math either does not pencil or is insufficiently documented to model here. Investors should treat Massac primarily as an appreciation and affordability play, not a day-one cash flow machine, until they can verify local rents independently and stress-test the numbers.

Given the cash flow score of 0 alongside an appreciation score of 89, Massac is best suited to an appreciation-oriented buyer who can afford to carry a property at break-even or modest negative cash flow in exchange for low basis and price trajectory. The median purchase price of $112,844 with a 20% down payment of roughly $22,569 keeps the equity-at-risk low, which limits downside exposure even if the market softens. A value-add operator could also find the low price point attractive if local rents can be lifted through renovation, since even modest rent increases on a $112k asset can shift the return profile meaningfully. A pure cash flow buyer who needs day-one positive spread should look elsewhere until actual rent data is confirmed.

The provided data does not include economic anchors or employer detail for Massac County, so no conclusions about job base or rental demand drivers can be drawn from this dataset. Investors should conduct their own research into the local employment base before committing capital, as a county of 14,135 people carries concentration risk by definition: any single employer departure or industry contraction can move vacancy rates quickly in a market this size.

Carry costs deserve serious attention here. The state-average effective property tax rate for Illinois is 2.27%, flagged as very high, and on a $112,844 purchase that translates to approximately $2,562 in annual property taxes, or $214 per month. Combined with the estimated insurance cost of $305 annually ($25/month), the total monthly tax-and-insurance burden runs $239 before mortgage, maintenance, or management. At a 6.85% interest rate on an 80% LTV loan, that mortgage payment adds further pressure on cash flow. The 2.27% rate is a state-average estimate per Tax Foundation 2024 data, and actual Massac County or township rates may differ, but the direction of the risk is clear: Illinois property taxes are a real line item on any underwrite here, not a rounding error. Any investor modeling this deal needs to confirm the actual assessed rate and factor it explicitly before projecting returns.

The primary risk in Massac is scale. At 14,135 residents, the tenant pool is thin, and any vacancy event is harder to recover from than in a larger market. Regulatory risk tied to Illinois's broader landlord-tenant environment, which leans tenant-friendly relative to neighboring states, applies statewide and is worth factoring into management assumptions. The data does not support any specific vacancy or demographic trend claims beyond what the population figure already implies.

Among the neighboring counties provided, Vermilion County is the most directly comparable on cash flow, with a documented rent-to-price ratio of 10.49% and a median rent of $815 on a median home price of $93,310, at the same overall score of 81. An investor who prioritizes confirmed cash flow should look at Vermilion first, since the rent-to-price ratio there is one of the stronger signals in this peer group. Massac's edge over Vermilion is its higher appreciation score (89 versus unstated for Vermilion) and its 6.11% price gain, making it the better choice if the thesis is long-term equity accumulation at a low entry cost. Menard County, at $198,736 median, is priced nearly 76% higher than Massac with only a marginally lower overall score of 80, making Massac the clear winner on affordability within this peer set. Marshall, Richland, and Edwards all carry higher median prices than Massac with comparable or lower overall scores, so Massac's national ranking and affordability ceiling are genuine differentiators, provided the buyer underwrites the Illinois tax burden correctly and can verify rental demand independently.