Is Riley County, KS good for real estate investing?

Riley County has an investment score of 64/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #271 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Riley County is 5.49% annually, which ranks in the 37th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Riley?

The median home price in Riley County is $278,752. This ranks #655 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Riley?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Riley County would generate negative cash flow of $632/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Riley County

KansasPopulation: 72,105

/100

Hold

#271 of 1,000 counties

#63 in Kansas (105 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 20, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$278,752

Median Home Price

22% above national median

$1,276/mo

Median Rent

12% below national median

5.49%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 63% nationally

-$632

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,276/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	$209,064	-$267/mo	4.8%	-6.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$278,752	-$632/mo	3.6%	-11.8%
125% of median newer / premium	$348,440	-$998/mo	2.9%	-14.9%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$278,752

Down Payment (20%)$55,750

Loan Amount$223,002

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,276

Monthly P&I-$1,461

Est. Expenses (35%)-$447

Net Cash Flow-$632/mo

3.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-11.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.49%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.6% 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.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

64/100

Cash Flow(30%)

52/100

Based on 5.49% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

87/100

Based on 5.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

70/100

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

+Strong price appreciation (+5.3% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$632/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.6% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

72,105

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+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
JewellKS	65	$107,843	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
McPhersonKS	65	$225,352	$1,004	5.35%	Buy	View
CurrentRileyKS	64	$278,752	$1,276	5.49%	Buy
RushKS	64	$85,174	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
FinneyKS	63	$229,353	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
MiamiKS	63	$367,768	$1,775	5.79%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldRiley scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $632/mo at current rates. Consider house hacking, value-add, or all-cash; otherwise a worse score with positive cash flow may be the better deal.

Riley County in Kansas scores 64/100, ranking #271 of 1,000 US counties (top 35%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $632/month; the 5.49% 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

$-632/mo

Cap Rate

3.6%

Cash-on-Cash

-11.8%

Related markets

Markets like Riley with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Riley

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Kansas →

Rent vs buy in Kansas cities

Rent vs buy in Wichita, KSMedian $215,377 · rent $1,177/mo Rent vs buy in Overland Park, KSMedian $438,419 · rent $1,669/mo Rent vs buy in Kansas City, KSMedian $201,014 · rent $1,229/mo Rent vs buy in Olathe, KSMedian $438,419 · rent $1,669/mo Rent vs buy in Topeka, KSMedian $198,892 · rent $1,137/mo All Kansas citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Riley?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,276/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	$209,064	-$267/mo	4.8%	-6.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$278,752	-$632/mo	3.6%	-11.8%
125% of median newer / premium	$348,440	-$998/mo	2.9%	-14.9%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$278,752

Down Payment (20%)$55,750

Loan Amount$223,002

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,276

Monthly P&I-$1,461

Est. Expenses (35%)-$447

Net Cash Flow-$632/mo

3.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-11.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.49%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.6% 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.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

64/100

Cash Flow(30%)

52/100

Based on 5.49% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

87/100

Based on 5.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

70/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+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)

County

Verdict

JewellKS

$107,843

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

McPhersonKS

$225,352

$1,004

5.35%

Buy

View

CurrentRileyKS

$278,752

$1,276

5.49%

Buy

RushKS

$85,174

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

FinneyKS

$229,353

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

MiamiKS

$367,768

$1,775

5.79%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-632/mo

Cap Rate

3.6%

Cash-on-Cash

-11.8%