Is Franklin County, KY good for real estate investing?

Franklin County has an investment score of 63/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #378 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Franklin County is 5.04% annually, which ranks in the 26th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Franklin?

The median home price in Franklin County is $241,434. This ranks #398 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Franklin?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Franklin County would generate negative cash flow of $607/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Franklin County

KentuckyPopulation: 51,475

/100

Buy

#378 of 1,000 counties

#73 in Kentucky (120 counties)

Market Snapshot

$241,434

Median Home Price

12% below national median

$1,013/mo

Median Rent

32% below national median

5.04%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 74% nationally

-$607

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$241,434

Down Payment (20%)$48,287

Loan Amount$193,147

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,013

Monthly P&I-$1,266

Est. Expenses (35%)-$355

Net Cash Flow-$607/mo

3.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-13.1%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.04%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.3% 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

63/100

Cash Flow(30%)

46/100

Based on 5.04% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

88/100

Based on 5.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

72/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.8x. 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

+Strong price appreciation (+5.7% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (5.04%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$607/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.3% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

51,475

Median Income

$62,929

vs $62,400 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.8x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
PulaskiKY	64	$171,263	$1,130	7.92%	Buy	View
WhitleyKY	64	$150,482	$846	6.74%	Buy	View
CurrentFranklinKY	63	$241,434	$1,013	5.04%	Buy
FayetteKY	63	$319,672	$1,613	6.05%	Buy	View
JessamineKY	62	$313,168	$1,499	5.74%	Buy	View
ShelbyKY	62	$320,364	$1,438	5.39%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

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

Franklin County in Kentucky scores 63/100, ranking #378 of 1,000 US counties (top 38%). The 5.04% rent-to-price ratio may require creative strategies or below-market purchases for positive cash flow. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-607/mo

Cap Rate

3.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-13.1%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Franklin?

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$241,434

Down Payment (20%)$48,287

Loan Amount$193,147

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,013

Monthly P&I-$1,266

Est. Expenses (35%)-$355

Net Cash Flow-$607/mo

3.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-13.1%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.04%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.3% 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

63/100

Cash Flow(30%)

46/100

Based on 5.04% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

88/100

Based on 5.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

72/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.8x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

PulaskiKY

$171,263

$1,130

7.92%

Buy

View

WhitleyKY

$150,482

$846

6.74%

Buy

View

CurrentFranklinKY

$241,434

$1,013

5.04%

Buy

FayetteKY

$319,672

$1,613

6.05%

Buy

View

JessamineKY

$313,168

$1,499

5.74%

Buy

View

ShelbyKY

$320,364

$1,438

5.39%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

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

Monthly Cash Flow

$-607/mo

Cap Rate

3.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-13.1%