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Market MapPennsylvaniaPhiladelphia

Philadelphia County

PennsylvaniaPopulation: 1,593,208
69
/100
Buy
#166 of 1,000 counties
#18 in Pennsylvania (67 counties)
Analysis by RentalCalcs Research·Independent data + algorithm-driven scoring
Updated July 20, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$237,474
Median Home Price
4% above national median
$1,814/mo
Median Rent
25% above national median
9.17%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 4% nationally
-$66
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Deep-dive analysis

Rent vs Buy
Break-even math + market-specific verdict for buying vs renting
Investment Analysis
Investor thesis, where to buy by profile, forward catalysts
Cap Rates
Gross + net yield by sub-market, compression outlook
Rental Prices
Rent trends, affordability, forecast for renters and landlords
House Hack
Duplex / ADU / fourplex strategies with real numbers

Scenario comparison

Same $1,814/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.
ScenarioPurchase priceMonthly cash flowCap rateCash-on-cash
75% of median
value-add or distressed
$178,105+$245/mo7.9%+7.2%
Median
typical MLS deal
$237,474-$66/mo6.0%-1.4%
125% of median
newer / premium
$296,842-$377/mo4.8%-6.6%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$237,474
Down Payment (20%)$47,495
Loan Amount$189,979
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,814
Monthly P&I-$1,245
Est. Expenses (35%)-$635
Net Cash Flow-$66/mo
6.0%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-1.4%
Cash-on-Cash Return
9.17%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 6.0% 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 AnalysisTry House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
69/100
69
Cash Flow(30%)
92/100

Based on 9.17% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
54/100

Based on 0.4% 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

  • +Above-average rent-to-price ratio (9.17%)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes
  • +Complete rent data available

Challenges

  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 6.0% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population
1,593,208
Median Income
—
Data pending
Unemployment Rate
—
Data pending
Price-to-Income
—
Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for
  • +Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up
Skip if
  • −You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)

Compare to Nearby Counties

CountyVerdict
CrawfordPA
70$160,004$7675.75%BuyView
CurrentPhiladelphiaPA
69$237,474$1,8149.17%Buy
AlleghenyPA
69$231,937$1,5307.92%BuyView
FayettePA
68$140,767$9408.01%BuyView
EriePA
68$211,721$1,0475.93%BuyView
LawrencePA
67$152,781$1,0007.86%BuyView

The Bottom Line

BuyPhiladelphia offers solid investment potential with positive cash flow at typical financing.

Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania scores 69/100, ranking #166 of 1,000 US counties (top 21%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental roughly breaks even on cash flow (9.17% gross rent-to-price ratio). The deal works on appreciation or with better terms, not on month-one cash flow.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-66/mo
Cap Rate
6.0%
Cash-on-Cash
-1.4%

Related markets

Markets like Philadelphia with stronger cash flow

  • Fayette County for cash-flow rentals
  • Allegheny County for cash-flow rentals
  • Lawrence County for cash-flow rentals

Cheaper alternatives to Philadelphia

  • Fayette County, lower entry price
  • Lawrence County, lower entry price
  • Crawford County, lower entry price

Head-to-head comparisons

  • Philadelphia vs Allegheny for rentals
  • Philadelphia vs Fayette for rentals
  • Philadelphia vs Crawford for rentals
All counties in Pennsylvania →

Rent vs buy in Pennsylvania cities

Rent vs buy in Philadelphia, PAMedian $228,589 · rent $1,704/moRent vs buy in Pittsburgh, PAMedian $231,937 · rent $1,530/moRent vs buy in Reading, PAMedian $299,902 · rent $1,496/moRent vs buy in Allentown, PAMedian $350,229 · rent $1,778/moRent vs buy in Erie, PAMedian $211,721 · rent $1,047/moAll Pennsylvania citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

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