Pine County

Pine County scores a cashFlow of 0 in this dataset, which is the most honest signal the numbers can send: at a $267,959 median home price with a 6.85% interest rate environment, the math on a conventional leveraged purchase does not produce meaningful monthly surplus. The appreciation score of 82 out of 100, combined with 3.73% year-over-year price growth, tells you where the return story actually lives. This is not a market you buy for day-one cash flow. It is a market you buy because you believe in the price trajectory and can carry the asset while equity builds. The affordability index of 73 and a median price well below $300,000 keep the entry cost manageable relative to many appreciation-oriented markets, which limits downside if you need to exit.

The investor this market suits is one who can tolerate neutral or slightly negative cash flow in exchange for price appreciation, has the balance sheet to absorb carry costs without monthly rental income covering the full nut, and is underwriting a three-to-seven year hold with a disposition exit rather than an income exit. At an overall score of 70 and a national percentile rank of 81st out of 1,000 counties, Pine sits in the upper fifth of counties nationally, which reflects the appreciation and affordability combination rather than income generation. A pure cash-flow buyer chasing a 7% or 8% cap rate will not find it here. A value-add operator could theoretically improve a distressed asset and force appreciation, and the below-$300K price point keeps absolute renovation dollars digestible, but the underlying income market would still need to support a post-renovation rent that pencils. The stability score of 50 is a caution flag for anyone assuming a smooth, low-variance ride.

No economic anchor data was provided for Pine County, so employer-specific demand drivers cannot be assessed from the available inputs. That gap is itself worth noting in your diligence process: a county of 29,090 people with a stability score of 50 warrants direct research into the local employment base before committing capital. Small rural counties at this population level can be heavily dependent on one or two industries or employers, and concentration risk in the local economy translates directly to vacancy risk in your rental.

The combined monthly tax and insurance burden runs $331 per month, based on Minnesota's state-average effective property tax rate of 1.13% applied to the $267,959 median price, plus an insurance rate of 0.35%. To be precise, the 1.13% figure is a state-average estimate from Tax Foundation 2024 data, and your actual Pine County or township rate may differ, so verify at the assessor level before finalizing your underwrite. At 1.13%, the rate sits in a normal range and does not create the kind of drag you would see in high-tax states, but $3,028 per year in property tax plus $938 in insurance means $3,966 in annual fixed carry costs before you touch a mortgage payment. On a 20% down purchase with the balance financed at 6.85%, that $331 monthly figure is a real line item that compresses whatever gross rent you collect.

The population of 29,090 and the stability score of 50 together point to concentration and demographic risk as the primary underwriting concerns. Rural Minnesota counties at this size can experience meaningful population shifts if an anchor employer contracts or if younger residents migrate toward the Twin Cities metro. The data does not provide vacancy statistics, but a thin rental market in a small county means a single vacant unit can materially affect your returns in a way it would not in a larger market. Regulatory risk is not flagged in the available data and should not be assumed.

Compared to the five neighboring counties provided, Pine at $267,959 median and an overall score of 70 occupies a middle position on price and competes closely on score. Stevens County at $204,884 and a score of 72 offers cheaper entry with a marginally better overall rating, which makes it the more attractive option for a buyer prioritizing affordability or trying to maximize potential cash-flow margins. Swift County at $188,268 and a score of 73 is the most affordable of the group and edges Pine on both price and overall score. Lake of the Woods County at $209,243 and a score of 73 also outscores Pine with lower median prices. Wabasha and Dodge counties both carry prices above $317,000 with lower overall scores of 68 and 72 respectively, making them harder to justify on a risk-adjusted basis at current prices. You would choose Pine over Wabasha or Dodge on price efficiency. You would need a specific thesis, such as superior local appreciation drivers or unique property opportunity, to choose Pine over Stevens, Swift, or Lake of the Woods, given those three offer comparable or better overall scores at meaningfully lower entry prices.