Metropolitan Area

Flint, MI

Michigan0
73
/100
Buy
#136 of 894 metros
Top 15% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$197,858
Median Home Price
22% below national median
$1,096/mo
Median Rent
21% below national median
6.65%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 32% nationally
-$325
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Stored observations from 2016-07-31 to 2026-06-29. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI. Missing rents are shown as gaps.

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$197,858
Down Payment (20%)$39,572
Loan Amount$158,286
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,096
Monthly P&I-$1,037
Est. Expenses (35%)-$384
Net Cash Flow-$325/mo
4.3%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-8.6%
Cash-on-Cash Return
6.65%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
73/100
73
Cash Flow(30%)
66/100

Based on 6.65% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
90/100

Based on 6.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
88/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Above-average rent-to-price ratio (6.65%)
  • +Strong price appreciation (+6.0% YoY)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes
  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)

Challenges

  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$325/mo)
  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 4.3% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Counties in Flint, MI

County data is being compiled for this metro area.

Section 8 in Flint, MI: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Coffeyville, KS
Coffeyville, KS
85$101,366$86210.20%Strong BuyView
Blytheville, AR
Blytheville, AR
84$115,156$1,06411.08%Strong BuyView
Roanoke Rapids, NC
Roanoke Rapids, NC
84$107,523$1,07712.02%Strong BuyView
Enid, OK
Enid, OK
83$144,157$1,25010.40%Strong BuyView
Houghton, MI
Houghton, MI
83$194,696$1,73310.68%Strong BuyView
Current
Flint, MI
73$197,858$1,0966.65%Buy

The Bottom Line

BuyFlint, MI offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

The Flint, MI metro area scores 73/100, ranking #136 of 894 US metros (top 15%). The 6.65% rent-to-price ratio falls below the 1% monthly rent rule (12% annually). Check operating costs and financing before making an offer. Current metro-wide averages make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or drilling down to specific counties.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-325/mo
Cap Rate
4.3%
Cash-on-Cash
-9.8%

Ready to Invest in Flint, MI?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties, or explore individual counties for more targeted opportunities.