Is Darke County, OH good for real estate investing?

Darke County has an investment score of 60/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #374 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Darke County is 4.28% annually, which ranks in the 10th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Darke?

The median home price in Darke County is $222,538. This ranks #470 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Darke?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Darke County would generate negative cash flow of $650/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Darke County

OhioPopulation: 51,751

/100

Hold

#374 of 1,000 counties

#60 in Ohio (88 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

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

Market Snapshot

$222,538

Median Home Price

3% below national median

$794/mo

Median Rent

45% below national median

4.28%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 90% nationally

-$650

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $794/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	$166,903	-$358/mo	3.7%	-11.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$222,538	-$650/mo	2.8%	-15.2%
125% of median newer / premium	$278,172	-$942/mo	2.2%	-17.7%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$222,538

Down Payment (20%)$44,508

Loan Amount$178,030

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$794

Monthly P&I-$1,167

Est. Expenses (35%)-$278

Net Cash Flow-$650/mo

2.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.28%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.8% 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

60/100

Cash Flow(30%)

34/100

Based on 4.28% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 8.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

82/100

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 (+8.3% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.28%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$650/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

51,751

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
MuskingumOH	63	$202,550	$1,075	6.37%	Buy	View
VintonOH	61	$172,686	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentDarkeOH	60	$222,538	$794	4.28%	Buy
LickingOH	60	$327,794	$1,630	5.97%	Buy	View
FranklinOH	59	$288,459	$1,478	6.15%	Hold	View
OttawaOH	57	$265,986	Est. pending	—	Hold	View

The Bottom Line

HoldDarke scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $650/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.

Darke County in Ohio scores 60/100, ranking #374 of 1,000 US counties (top 48%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $650/month; the 4.28% 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

$-650/mo

Cap Rate

2.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.2%

Related markets

Markets like Darke with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Darke

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Ohio →

Rent vs buy in Ohio cities

Rent vs buy in Columbus, OHMedian $288,459 · rent $1,478/mo Rent vs buy in Cleveland, OHMedian $211,436 · rent $1,379/mo Rent vs buy in Cincinnati, OHMedian $262,214 · rent $1,516/mo Rent vs buy in Toledo, OHMedian $169,370 · rent $1,105/mo Rent vs buy in Dayton, OHMedian $195,315 · rent $1,244/mo All Ohio citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Darke?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

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Scenario comparison

Same $794/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	$166,903	-$358/mo	3.7%	-11.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$222,538	-$650/mo	2.8%	-15.2%
125% of median newer / premium	$278,172	-$942/mo	2.2%	-17.7%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$222,538

Down Payment (20%)$44,508

Loan Amount$178,030

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$794

Monthly P&I-$1,167

Est. Expenses (35%)-$278

Net Cash Flow-$650/mo

2.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-15.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.28%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.8% 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

60/100

Cash Flow(30%)

34/100

Based on 4.28% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 8.3% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

82/100

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

MuskingumOH

$202,550

$1,075

6.37%

Buy

View

VintonOH

$172,686

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

CurrentDarkeOH

$222,538

$794

4.28%

Buy

LickingOH

$327,794

$1,630

5.97%

Buy

View

FranklinOH

$288,459

$1,478

6.15%

Hold

View

OttawaOH

$265,986

Est. pending

—

Hold

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-650/mo

Cap Rate

2.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-15.2%