Clearfield County

Clearfield County sits at a median home price of $144,352 and a median rent of $967.78, producing a gross rent-to-price ratio of 8.05%. The model underwrites a cap rate of 5.23% at a $144,352 purchase price, which puts this market squarely in cash-flow territory rather than appreciation territory, though the 4.31% year-over-year price gain is not negligible for a county at this price point. The affordability index of 99 out of 100 signals that homes here are about as cheap relative to local incomes as you will find anywhere in the country. The catch is that at a 6.85% financing rate with 20% down, the model's estimated monthly cash flow comes in at negative $128 on a conventional leveraged purchase, and cash-on-cash return lands at -4.63%. That gap is worth understanding before you dismiss or embrace the market: the unlevered economics (5.23% cap) are real, but the financing math is tight at current rates.

The investor this market suits best is either an all-cash or low-leverage buyer who can capture the spread between the 5.23% cap rate and a minimal cost of capital, or a value-add operator buying below the already-low median, forcing rents upward, and refinancing when rates compress. A pure appreciation buyer can make a secondary case, since a 4.31% annual price gain on a $144,352 asset still produces meaningful percentage returns, and the county ranks 4th in Pennsylvania out of 67 counties and in the 96th percentile nationally out of 1,000 counties on the overall scoring model. But the primary draw is affordability and entry price, not a hot appreciation runway. If you need the property to debt-service comfortably on day one with conventional financing at today's rates, Clearfield does not pencil unless you buy below median or bring a larger down payment to reduce the mortgage load below the modeled $757 per month.

On the carry cost side, the $213 per month in combined taxes and insurance deserves attention. Pennsylvania's state-average effective property tax rate is estimated at 1.54%, which the Tax Foundation classifies as high, and that rate is a real underwriting consideration: at 1.54%, property tax alone runs roughly $185 per month on a $144,352 asset, or $2,223 annually. Bear in mind this is a state-average estimate and your actual county or township rate may differ materially, so pull the specific millage for any parcel before finalizing your underwrite. Insurance adds another $28 per month ($332 annually) at the 0.23% modeled rate. Together these two line items consume 22% of the $967.78 gross rent before you touch the mortgage, maintenance, or management. A buyer underestimating tax exposure on a thin-margin cash-flow market like this will erode their return quickly.

The stability score of 50 out of 100 is the number that warrants the most scrutiny. Clearfield is a small, rural Pennsylvania county with a population of 79,707. No economic anchors were provided in the underlying data, so no specific employers can be cited here, but the low stability score signals that the local economy likely lacks diversification or has population or income trends that weigh against demand durability. An investor should independently verify the county's employment base and any population trajectory before committing, because in a thin market a single large employer exiting or a sustained population decline can compress both rents and resale values faster than the entry price suggests.

Compared to neighboring counties, Clearfield occupies a specific niche. Schuylkill County offers a higher gross rent-to-price ratio of 8.82% at a slightly higher median price of $155,809, with rent of $1,145 per month, making it the more compelling cash-flow trade on paper if the underwriting holds. Northumberland County has a similar rent ($966) but a weaker rent-to-price ratio of 7.31% at $158,522, making it the weakest cash-flow option of the group. Cameron County's median of $70,313 is dramatically lower, which may appeal to a low-dollar-in, high-yield speculator, though liquidity and rental demand at that price point carry their own risks. Elk County at $139,617 and an overall score of 76 is close to Clearfield on price but scores one point lower overall. Susquehanna County at $224,876 is a different market entirely, priced for a different buyer profile. Choose Clearfield over its neighbors when your priority is the combination of sub-$150,000 entry price, a top-4 state rank, and a rent-to-price ratio that beats Northumberland by nearly a full point, accepting the tradeoff of a high property tax rate and a stability score that demands more local diligence before committing capital.