Is Maricopa County, AZ good for real estate investing?

Maricopa County has an investment score of 41/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #0 nationally among 0 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Maricopa County is 4.49% annually, which ranks in the 50th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Maricopa?

The median home price in Maricopa County is $463,173. This ranks #0 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Maricopa?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Maricopa County would generate negative cash flow of $1,302/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Maricopa County

ArizonaPopulation: 4,430,871Phoenix, AZ Metro

/100

Avoid

#0 of 0 counties

#10 in Arizona (15 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 18, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$463,173

Median Home Price

0% below national median

$1,733/mo

Median Rent

0% below national median

4.49%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 50% nationally

-$1,302

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,733/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	$347,380	-$695/mo	3.9%	-10.4%
Median typical MLS deal	$463,173	-$1,301/mo	2.9%	-14.7%
125% of median newer / premium	$578,967	-$1,909/mo	2.3%	-17.2%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$463,173

Down Payment (20%)$92,635

Loan Amount$370,538

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,733

Monthly P&I-$2,428

Est. Expenses (35%)-$607

Net Cash Flow-$1,302/mo

2.9%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.49%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.9% 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

41/100

Cash Flow(30%)

37/100

Based on 4.49% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

42/100

Based on -1.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

34/100

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

-Declining home values (-1.7% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,302/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.9% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

4,430,871

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
PimaAZ	46	$339,306	$1,510	5.34%	Hold	View
GreenleeAZ	44	$156,689	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
CurrentMaricopaAZ	41	$463,173	$1,733	4.49%	Avoid
CoconinoAZ	41	$612,086	$2,124	4.16%	Avoid	View
ApacheAZ	39	$311,973	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
YavapaiAZ	39	$496,666	$1,839	4.44%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

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

Maricopa County in Arizona scores 41/100, ranking #0 of 0 US counties (top 50%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $1302/month; the 4.49% 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

$-1,302/mo

Cap Rate

2.9%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.7%

Related markets

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Cheaper alternatives to Maricopa

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Arizona →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Maricopa?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,733/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	$347,380	-$695/mo	3.9%	-10.4%
Median typical MLS deal	$463,173	-$1,301/mo	2.9%	-14.7%
125% of median newer / premium	$578,967	-$1,909/mo	2.3%	-17.2%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$463,173

Down Payment (20%)$92,635

Loan Amount$370,538

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,733

Monthly P&I-$2,428

Est. Expenses (35%)-$607

Net Cash Flow-$1,302/mo

2.9%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.49%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.9% 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

41/100

Cash Flow(30%)

37/100

Based on 4.49% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

42/100

Based on -1.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

34/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

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

County

Verdict

PimaAZ

$339,306

$1,510

5.34%

Hold

View

GreenleeAZ

$156,689

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

CurrentMaricopaAZ

$463,173

$1,733

4.49%

Avoid

CoconinoAZ

$612,086

$2,124

4.16%

Avoid

View

ApacheAZ

$311,973

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

YavapaiAZ

$496,666

$1,839

4.44%

Avoid

View

The Bottom Line

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

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,302/mo

Cap Rate

2.9%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.7%