Is Houston County, AL good for real estate investing?

Houston County has an investment score of 68/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #152 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Houston County is 7.21% annually, which ranks in the 81th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Houston?

The median home price in Houston County is $198,404. This ranks #352 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Houston?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Houston County would generate negative cash flow of $266/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Houston County

AlabamaPopulation: 107,040

/100

Buy

#152 of 1,000 counties

#6 in Alabama (67 counties)

Market Snapshot

$198,404

Median Home Price

15% below national median

$1,191/mo

Median Rent

21% below national median

7.21%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 19% nationally

-$266

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$198,404

Down Payment (20%)$39,681

Loan Amount$158,723

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,191

Monthly P&I-$1,040

Est. Expenses (35%)-$417

Net Cash Flow-$266/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-7.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.21%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% 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.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

68/100

Cash Flow(30%)

72/100

Based on 7.21% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

76/100

Based on 2.6% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

76/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.6x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

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 (7.21%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$266/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

107,040

Median Income

$55,064

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.6x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentHoustonAL	68	$198,404	$1,191	7.21%	Buy
ElmoreAL	68	$262,416	$1,435	6.56%	Buy	View
CullmanAL	68	$249,144	$1,497	7.21%	Buy	View
TalladegaAL	67	$174,954	$1,124	7.71%	Buy	View
EtowahAL	67	$181,241	$932	6.17%	Buy	View
CovingtonAL	67	$154,115	Est. pending	—	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

BuyHouston offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Houston County in Alabama scores 68/100, ranking #152 of 1,000 US counties (top 20%). The 7.21% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-266/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-7.0%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Houston?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

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Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$198,404

Down Payment (20%)$39,681

Loan Amount$158,723

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,191

Monthly P&I-$1,040

Est. Expenses (35%)-$417

Net Cash Flow-$266/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-7.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.21%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% 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.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

68/100

Cash Flow(30%)

72/100

Based on 7.21% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

76/100

Based on 2.6% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

76/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.6x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

CurrentHoustonAL

$198,404

$1,191

7.21%

Buy

ElmoreAL

$262,416

$1,435

6.56%

Buy

View

CullmanAL

$249,144

$1,497

7.21%

Buy

View

TalladegaAL

$174,954

$1,124

7.71%

Buy

View

EtowahAL

$181,241

$932

6.17%

Buy

View

CovingtonAL

$154,115

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

BuyHouston offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Houston County in Alabama scores 68/100, ranking #152 of 1,000 US counties (top 20%). The 7.21% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-266/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-7.0%