Is Harris County, TX good for real estate investing?

Harris County has an investment score of 57/100, rated as "Hold". The county ranks #2128 nationally among 3073 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Harris County is 6.87% annually, which ranks in the 77th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Harris?

The median home price in Harris County is $276,524. This ranks #1957 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Harris?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Harris County would generate negative cash flow of $503/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Harris, TX Real Estate Investing (2026)

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 $1,583/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 7.40% 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	$207,393	-$120/mo	6.0%	-3.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$276,524	-$503/mo	4.5%	-9.5%
125% of median newer / premium	$345,655	-$886/mo	3.6%	-13.4%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$276,524

Down Payment (20%)$55,305

Loan Amount$221,219

Interest Rate7.40%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,583

Monthly P&I-$1,532

Est. Expenses (35%)-$554

Net Cash Flow-$503/mo

4.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-9.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.87%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 7.40% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.5% 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.

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Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

57/100

Cash Flow(30%)

69/100

Based on 6.87% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

40/100

Based on -2.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

71/100

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 (6.87%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Declining home values (-2.0% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$503/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.5% < mortgage rate 7.4%)

Economic Indicators

Population

4,726,177

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+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)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year

Compare to Texas counties with similar scores

County					Verdict
CurrentHarrisTX	57	$276,524	$1,583	6.87%	Hold
HendersonTX	57	$267,629	$1,408	6.31%	Hold	View
ShackelfordTX	57	$159,237	Est. pending	—	Hold	View
GrayTX	57	$104,289	Est. pending	—	Hold	View
ZapataTX	57	$127,920	Est. pending	—	Hold	View
HuntTX	57	$271,566	$1,541	6.81%	Hold	View

Section 8 in Harris County: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

The Bottom Line

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

Harris County in Texas scores 57/100, ranking #2128 of 3,073 US counties (top 69%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $503/month; the 6.87% 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

$-503/mo

Cap Rate

4.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-9.5%

Related markets

Markets like Harris with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Harris

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Texas →

Average rent by city in Harris County

Typical asking rent across each city's ZIP codes (Zillow Observed Rent Index). Open a city for rent by ZIP and bedroom count.

Rent vs buy in Texas cities

Rent vs buy in Houston, TXMedian $277,740 · rent $1,584/mo Rent vs buy in San Antonio, TXMedian $252,853 · rent $1,362/mo Rent vs buy in Dallas, TXMedian $303,490 · rent $1,635/mo Rent vs buy in Austin, TXMedian $467,178 · rent $1,595/mo Rent vs buy in Fort Worth, TXMedian $316,863 · rent $1,616/mo All Texas citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Harris County

Market Snapshot

Deep-dive analysis

Scenario comparison

Price History

Quick Investment Calculator

Purchase

Monthly Cash Flow

Score Breakdown

Investment Outlook

Strengths

Challenges

Economic Indicators

Who this market fits

Compare to Texas counties with similar scores

The Bottom Line

Related markets

Markets like Harris with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Harris

Head-to-head comparisons

Average rent by city in Harris County

Rent vs buy in Texas cities

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Harris?