Is Chemung County, NY good for real estate investing?

Chemung County has an investment score of 78/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #0 nationally among 0 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Chemung County is 8.44% annually, which ranks in the 50th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Chemung?

The median home price in Chemung County is $164,318. This ranks #0 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Chemung?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Chemung County would generate negative cash flow of $110/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Chemung County

New YorkPopulation: 83,584

/100

Buy for appreciation

#0 of 0 counties

#1 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

$164,318

Median Home Price

0% below national median

$1,155/mo

Median Rent

0% below national median

8.44%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 50% nationally

-$110

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,155/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	$123,238	+$105/mo	7.3%	+4.5%
Median typical MLS deal	$164,318	-$110/mo	5.5%	-3.5%
125% of median newer / premium	$205,397	-$326/mo	4.4%	-8.3%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$164,318

Down Payment (20%)$32,864

Loan Amount$131,454

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,155

Monthly P&I-$861

Est. Expenses (35%)-$404

Net Cash Flow-$110/mo

5.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.44%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.5% 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

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

84/100

Based on 8.44% 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%)

95/100

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 leverage (cap rate 5.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

83,584

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
CurrentChemungNY	78	$164,318	$1,155	8.44%	Strong Buy
BroomeNY	76	$187,106	$1,421	9.11%	Strong Buy	View
OneidaNY	75	$225,470	$1,472	7.84%	Strong Buy	View
SenecaNY	73	$210,142	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CattaraugusNY	73	$158,795	$1,089	8.23%	Buy	View
SteubenNY	72	$163,769	$1,332	9.76%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Buy for appreciationChemung scores strongly overall, but a leveraged buy-and-hold loses $110/mo at current rates. Best fit for appreciation-focused buyers, all-cash operators, or value-add deals below median.

Chemung County in New York scores 78/100, ranking #0 of 0 US counties (top 50%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $110/month; the 8.44% 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

$-110/mo

Cap Rate

5.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.5%

Related markets

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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 Chemung?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,155/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	$123,238	+$105/mo	7.3%	+4.5%
Median typical MLS deal	$164,318	-$110/mo	5.5%	-3.5%
125% of median newer / premium	$205,397	-$326/mo	4.4%	-8.3%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$164,318

Down Payment (20%)$32,864

Loan Amount$131,454

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,155

Monthly P&I-$861

Est. Expenses (35%)-$404

Net Cash Flow-$110/mo

5.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-3.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.44%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.5% 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

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

84/100

Based on 8.44% 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%)

95/100

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

CurrentChemungNY

$164,318

$1,155

8.44%

Strong Buy

BroomeNY

$187,106

$1,421

9.11%

Strong Buy

View

OneidaNY

$225,470

$1,472

7.84%

Strong Buy

View

SenecaNY

$210,142

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

CattaraugusNY

$158,795

$1,089

8.23%

Buy

View

SteubenNY

$163,769

$1,332

9.76%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-110/mo

Cap Rate

5.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-3.5%