Is Essex County, NY good for real estate investing?

Essex County has an investment score of 57/100, rated as "Hold". The county ranks #451 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Essex County is 4.74% annually, which ranks in the 20th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Essex?

The median home price in Essex County is $304,118. This ranks #720 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Essex?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Essex County would generate negative cash flow of $814/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Essex County

New YorkPopulation: 37,314

/100

Hold

#451 of 1,000 counties

#36 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

$304,118

Median Home Price

33% above national median

$1,200/mo

Median Rent

17% below national median

4.74%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 80% nationally

-$814

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,200/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	$228,088	-$416/mo	4.1%	-9.5%
Median typical MLS deal	$304,118	-$814/mo	3.1%	-14.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$380,147	-$1,213/mo	2.5%	-16.6%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$304,118

Down Payment (20%)$60,824

Loan Amount$243,294

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,200

Monthly P&I-$1,594

Est. Expenses (35%)-$420

Net Cash Flow-$814/mo

3.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.74%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.1% 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

57/100

Cash Flow(30%)

41/100

Based on 4.74% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

76/100

Based on 11.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

65/100

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 (+11.4% YoY)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.74%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$814/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.1% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

37,314

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

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
WyomingNY	59	$197,819	Est. pending	—	Hold	View
SaratogaNY	58	$441,120	$1,755	4.77%	Hold	View
CurrentEssexNY	57	$304,118	$1,200	4.74%	Hold
NassauNY	56	$807,855	$3,521	5.23%	Hold	View
BronxNY	56	$486,304	$2,767	6.83%	Hold	View
UlsterNY	56	$428,572	$2,119	5.93%	Hold	View

The Bottom Line

HoldEssex is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Essex County in New York scores 57/100, ranking #451 of 1,000 US counties (top 58%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $814/month; the 4.74% 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

$-814/mo

Cap Rate

3.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.0%

Related markets

Markets like Essex with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Essex

Wyoming County, lower entry price

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 Essex?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,200/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	$228,088	-$416/mo	4.1%	-9.5%
Median typical MLS deal	$304,118	-$814/mo	3.1%	-14.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$380,147	-$1,213/mo	2.5%	-16.6%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$304,118

Down Payment (20%)$60,824

Loan Amount$243,294

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,200

Monthly P&I-$1,594

Est. Expenses (35%)-$420

Net Cash Flow-$814/mo

3.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.74%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.1% 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

57/100

Cash Flow(30%)

41/100

Based on 4.74% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

76/100

Based on 11.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

65/100

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

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

WyomingNY

$197,819

Est. pending

—

Hold

View

SaratogaNY

$441,120

$1,755

4.77%

Hold

View

CurrentEssexNY

$304,118

$1,200

4.74%

Hold

NassauNY

$807,855

$3,521

5.23%

Hold

View

BronxNY

$486,304

$2,767

6.83%

Hold

View

UlsterNY

$428,572

$2,119

5.93%

Hold

View

The Bottom Line

HoldEssex is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-814/mo

Cap Rate

3.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.0%