Is Carbon County, WY good for real estate investing?

Carbon County has an investment score of 64/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #273 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Carbon County is 5.69% annually, which ranks in the 43th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Carbon?

The median home price in Carbon County is $216,232. This ranks #444 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Carbon?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Carbon County would generate negative cash flow of $468/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Carbon County

WyomingPopulation: 14,609

/100

Hold

#273 of 1,000 counties

#8 in Wyoming (23 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated July 28, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$216,232

Median Home Price

6% below national median

$1,025/mo

Median Rent

29% below national median

5.69%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 57% nationally

-$468

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,025/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	$162,174	-$185/mo	4.9%	-6.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$216,232	-$468/mo	3.7%	-11.3%
125% of median newer / premium	$270,291	-$751/mo	3.0%	-14.5%

Price History

Median Home Price

Median Rent

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$216,232

Down Payment (20%)$43,246

Loan Amount$172,986

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,025

Monthly P&I-$1,134

Est. Expenses (35%)-$359

Net Cash Flow-$468/mo

3.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-11.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.69%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.7% 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

64/100

Cash Flow(30%)

55/100

Based on 5.69% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

72/100

Based on 2.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

84/100

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

+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$468/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

14,609

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)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
WashakieWY	67	$261,804	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
PlatteWY	66	$265,655	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentCarbonWY	64	$216,232	$1,025	5.69%	Buy
GoshenWY	61	$243,785	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
ConverseWY	61	$318,556	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CrookWY	60	$405,497	Est. pending	—	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldCarbon scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $468/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.

Carbon County in Wyoming scores 64/100, ranking #273 of 1,000 US counties (top 35%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $468/month; the 5.69% 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

$-468/mo

Cap Rate

3.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-11.3%

Related markets

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Wyoming →

Rent vs buy in Wyoming cities

Rent vs buy in Cheyenne, WYMedian $376,645 · rent $1,373/mo Rent vs buy in Casper, WYMedian $303,500 · rent $1,265/mo Rent vs buy in Laramie, WYMedian $365,138 · rent $1,238/mo Rent vs buy in Gillette, WYMedian $329,077 · rent $1,361/mo Rent vs buy in Rock Springs, WYMedian $287,105 · rent $1,179/mo All Wyoming citiesFull rent-vs-buy directory for the state

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