Is McHenry County, IL good for real estate investing?

McHenry County has an investment score of 71/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #156 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in McHenry County is 7.26% annually, which ranks in the 82th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in McHenry?

The median home price in McHenry County is $349,331. This ranks #849 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in McHenry?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in McHenry County would generate negative cash flow of $458/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

McHenry County

IllinoisPopulation: 311,133Chicago, IL Metro

/100

Buy

#156 of 1,000 counties

#60 in Illinois (102 counties)

Market Snapshot

$349,331

Median Home Price

53% above national median

$2,114/mo

Median Rent

55% above national median

7.26%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 18% nationally

-$458

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$349,331

Down Payment (20%)$69,866

Loan Amount$279,465

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,114

Monthly P&I-$1,831

Est. Expenses (35%)-$740

Net Cash Flow-$458/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.26%

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

71/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.26% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 4.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

78/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.5x. 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 (7.26%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$458/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

311,133

Median Income

$100,101

vs $51,665 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.5x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
WoodfordIL	73	$222,096	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
WilliamsonIL	72	$152,606	$1,067	8.39%	Buy	View
Jo DaviessIL	72	$240,822	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentMcHenryIL	71	$349,331	$2,114	7.26%	Buy
JacksonIL	71	$121,998	$689	6.77%	Buy	View
LeeIL	70	$176,055	$912	6.22%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

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

McHenry County in Illinois scores 71/100, ranking #156 of 1,000 US counties (top 16%). The 7.26% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-458/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.8%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in McHenry?

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

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

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$349,331

Down Payment (20%)$69,866

Loan Amount$279,465

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,114

Monthly P&I-$1,831

Est. Expenses (35%)-$740

Net Cash Flow-$458/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.8%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.26%

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

71/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.26% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 4.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

78/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

WoodfordIL

$222,096

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

WilliamsonIL

$152,606

$1,067

8.39%

Buy

View

Jo DaviessIL

$240,822

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

CurrentMcHenryIL

$349,331

$2,114

7.26%

Buy

JacksonIL

$121,998

$689

6.77%

Buy

View

LeeIL

$176,055

$912

6.22%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

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

Monthly Cash Flow

$-458/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.8%