Is Snohomish County, WA good for real estate investing?

Snohomish County has an investment score of 32/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #776 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Snohomish County is 3.62% annually, which ranks in the 2th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Snohomish?

The median home price in Snohomish County is $728,217. This ranks #978 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Snohomish?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Snohomish County would generate negative cash flow of $2,389/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Snohomish, WA 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 $2,198/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	$546,163	-$1,434/mo	3.1%	-13.7%
Median typical MLS deal	$728,217	-$2,389/mo	2.4%	-17.1%
125% of median newer / premium	$910,272	-$3,343/mo	1.9%	-19.2%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$728,217

Down Payment (20%)$145,643

Loan Amount$582,574

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,198

Monthly P&I-$3,817

Est. Expenses (35%)-$769

Net Cash Flow-$2,389/mo

2.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-17.1%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.62%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.4% 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

32/100

Cash Flow(30%)

24/100

Based on 3.62% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

41/100

Based on -1.8% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

9/100

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

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (3.62%)
-Declining home values (-1.8% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$2,389/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.4% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

828,337

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
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
ChelanWA	40	$526,792	$1,747	3.98%	Avoid	View
WhatcomWA	40	$600,648	$2,018	4.03%	Avoid	View
IslandWA	39	$623,534	$2,015	3.88%	Avoid	View
KingWA	34	$841,149	$2,267	3.23%	Avoid	View
CurrentSnohomishWA	32	$728,217	$2,198	3.62%	Avoid
San JuanWA	30	$865,228	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View

Section 8 in Snohomish 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

AvoidSnohomish may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Snohomish County in Washington scores 32/100, ranking #776 of 1,000 US counties (top 99%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $2389/month; the 3.62% 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

$-2,389/mo

Cap Rate

2.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-17.1%

Related markets

Markets like Snohomish with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Snohomish

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Washington →

Average rent by city in Snohomish 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 Washington cities

Rent vs buy in Seattle, WAMedian $841,149 · rent $2,267/mo Rent vs buy in Spokane, WAMedian $412,282 · rent $1,510/mo Rent vs buy in Tacoma, WAMedian $555,177 · rent $1,957/mo Rent vs buy in Vancouver, WAMedian $537,646 · rent $1,898/mo Rent vs buy in Bellevue, WAMedian $841,149 · rent $2,267/mo All Washington citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

Snohomish 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 Nearby Counties

The Bottom Line

Related markets

Markets like Snohomish with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Snohomish

Head-to-head comparisons

Average rent by city in Snohomish County

Rent vs buy in Washington cities

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