Clark County

Clark County, Missouri lands at the 93rd national percentile across 1,000 counties scored, ranking 5th in Missouri out of 113, with a median home price of $191,612 and 13.3% year-over-year appreciation. The score breakdown tells you exactly what you're buying: an 82 on appreciation, a 50 on stability, and a cash-flow score of 0. Cap rate and cash-on-cash return are not populated in the data, which itself is informative — this is not a county you underwrite on yield. With a 6.85% rate on a standard 80% LTV mortgage, the monthly carry on a median-priced asset is real, and the rent data provided does not suggest the numbers pencil as a traditional cash-flow play. The affordability index of 89, combined with a home price that is still under $200,000, does signal that entry cost is low relative to many comparable rural Missouri markets, but low entry price alone does not produce cash flow without rent support.

The investor this market suits most is one playing appreciation rather than income. That 13.3% price gain over one year is the headline, and the national rank of 53 puts Clark in genuinely rarefied territory for price momentum. A buy-and-hold investor willing to accept break-even or slightly negative monthly cash flow in exchange for equity accumulation may find the sub-$200K entry point attractive, particularly at 20% down ($38,322). The affordability score of 89 suggests the local buyer pool still has room to absorb further price appreciation without the market running into affordability ceilings immediately, which is a meaningful tailwind for anyone holding a 5- to 10-year horizon. Cash-flow buyers and value-add operators looking for distressed-asset yield should probably look elsewhere; the data does not support underwriting Clark on income alone at this price-to-rent environment.

No economic anchors or employer data were provided for Clark County, so the specific drivers of rental demand cannot be assessed from the available inputs. What the population figure does tell you is that this is a county of roughly 6,700 residents, placing it firmly in small-town rural territory. At that population scale, the rental tenant pool is thin by definition, and occupancy risk deserves serious weight. A single employer departure or demographic outflow can move vacancy materially in a market this size. The stability score of 50 is consistent with that read — not a distressed market, but not one with the economic depth to absorb shocks the way a mid-sized metro can.

On carry costs, the combined monthly property tax and insurance estimate is $225, using Missouri's state-average effective property tax rate of 0.97% and an insurance rate of 0.44%. The tax Foundation 2024 figure is a state-average estimate, and actual Clark County or township rates may differ, so pull the county assessor's current millage before finalizing your pro forma. A 0.97% rate is within the normal range and does not represent a structural drag the way a 1.7%+ rate would in a high-tax state. For a $191,612 asset, $225 per month in tax and insurance is manageable, though it matters considerably more in a market where cash flow is already thin.

The primary risks here are size and concentration. A population of 6,700 creates a shallow tenant market, and the 0 cash-flow score signals that income investors have not found the rent-to-price equation compelling. Rural Missouri markets at this size can see meaningful demographic drift, particularly if the population skews older, though that data is not provided here. Regulatory risk is not flagged in the available data. The absence of rent data for Clark specifically, while neighboring Butler County shows a median rent of $900 against a median price of $160,556 (a 0.67% gross rent multiplier monthly), gives you one rough regional benchmark: if Clark's rent profile is similar, the math on a $191,612 asset tightens further.

Among the neighbors provided, Linn County at $139,094 median price and an overall score of 80 is the most direct alternative worth comparing. It scores 5 points higher than Clark at a price point that is $52,000 lower, which likely means a more favorable rent-to-price ratio and stronger cash-flow potential, though rent data for Linn was not provided. Livingston County is nearly identically priced at $188,828 with a score of 76, making it a close substitute. Andrew ($281,483, score 73) and Clinton ($275,256, score 70) are both higher-priced and lower-scored, which does not make a compelling case relative to Clark. Choose Clark over its neighbors specifically if appreciation momentum is your primary thesis and you are comfortable accepting a thin or negative cash-flow position during the hold, backed by the conviction that 13.3% annual price growth is sustainable or at least durable enough to justify the trade-off. If yield matters more than equity growth, Linn County's lower entry price warrants a closer look first.