Is Cayuga County, NY good for real estate investing?

Cayuga County has an investment score of 73/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #0 nationally among 0 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Cayuga County is 7.31% annually, which ranks in the 50th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Cayuga?

The median home price in Cayuga County is $239,128. This ranks #0 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Cayuga?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Cayuga County would generate negative cash flow of $306/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Cayuga County

New YorkPopulation: 76,171

/100

Hold

#0 of 0 counties

#4 in New York (62 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

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

Market Snapshot

$239,128

Median Home Price

0% below national median

$1,458/mo

Median Rent

0% below national median

7.31%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 50% nationally

-$306

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,458/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	$179,346	+$7/mo	6.3%	+0.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$239,128	-$306/mo	4.8%	-6.7%
125% of median newer / premium	$298,910	-$619/mo	3.8%	-10.8%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$239,128

Down Payment (20%)$47,826

Loan Amount$191,302

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,458

Monthly P&I-$1,254

Est. Expenses (35%)-$510

Net Cash Flow-$306/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.31%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.8% 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

73/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.31% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

90/100

Based on 6.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

79/100

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 (+6.2% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$306/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

76,171

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
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

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
CurrentCayugaNY	73	$239,128	$1,458	7.31%	Buy
SenecaNY	73	$210,142	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
ChemungNY	73	$151,982	$1,161	9.17%	Buy	View
CattaraugusNY	73	$158,795	$1,089	8.23%	Buy	View
SteubenNY	72	$163,769	$1,332	9.76%	Buy	View
OnondagaNY	72	$264,378	$1,627	7.39%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldCayuga scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $306/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.

Cayuga County in New York scores 73/100, ranking #0 of 0 US counties (top 50%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $306/month; the 7.31% 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

$-306/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.7%

Related markets

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Cheaper alternatives to Cayuga

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in New York →

Rent vs buy in New York cities

Rent vs buy in New York, NYMedian $1,182,636 · rent $4,367/mo Rent vs buy in Buffalo, NYMedian $282,437 · rent $1,371/mo Rent vs buy in Rochester, NYMedian $269,412 · rent $1,499/mo Rent vs buy in Yonkers, NYMedian $824,579 · rent $3,016/mo Rent vs buy in Syracuse, NYMedian $264,378 · rent $1,627/mo All New York citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Cayuga?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,458/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	$179,346	+$7/mo	6.3%	+0.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$239,128	-$306/mo	4.8%	-6.7%
125% of median newer / premium	$298,910	-$619/mo	3.8%	-10.8%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$239,128

Down Payment (20%)$47,826

Loan Amount$191,302

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,458

Monthly P&I-$1,254

Est. Expenses (35%)-$510

Net Cash Flow-$306/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.31%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.8% 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

73/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.31% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

90/100

Based on 6.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

79/100

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
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

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

CurrentCayugaNY

$239,128

$1,458

7.31%

Buy

SenecaNY

$210,142

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

ChemungNY

$151,982

$1,161

9.17%

Buy

View

CattaraugusNY

$158,795

$1,089

8.23%

Buy

View

SteubenNY

$163,769

$1,332

9.76%

Buy

View

OnondagaNY

$264,378

$1,627

7.39%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-306/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.7%