Is Wayne County, MI good for real estate investing?

Wayne County has an investment score of 78/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #13 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Wayne County is 9.59% annually, which ranks in the 98th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Wayne?

The median home price in Wayne County is $172,107. This ranks #130 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Wayne?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Wayne County would generate negative cash flow of $8/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Wayne County

MichiganPopulation: 1,781,641

/100

Strong Buy

#13 of 1,000 counties

#1 in Michigan (83 counties)

Market Snapshot

$172,107

Median Home Price

37% below national median

$1,375/mo

Median Rent

8% below national median

9.59%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 2% nationally

-$8

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$172,107

Down Payment (20%)$34,421

Loan Amount$137,686

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,375

Monthly P&I-$902

Est. Expenses (35%)-$481

Net Cash Flow-$8/mo

6.2%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-0.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

9.59%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 6.2% 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

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

96/100

Based on 9.59% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

81/100

Based on 3.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

85/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. 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 (9.59%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 6.2% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

1,781,641

Median Income

$57,223

vs $62,400 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.0x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentWayneMI	78	$172,107	$1,375	9.59%	Strong Buy
TuscolaMI	78	$178,691	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
BayMI	75	$175,060	$1,143	7.84%	Strong Buy	View
GratiotMI	75	$172,768	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
DickinsonMI	75	$171,172	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
HillsdaleMI	74	$202,422	Est. pending	—	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyWayne is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Wayne County in Michigan scores 78/100, ranking #13 of 1,000 US counties (top 1%). The 9.59% rent-to-price ratio exceeds the 1% rule target, suggesting strong cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-8/mo

Cap Rate

6.2%

Cash-on-Cash

-0.2%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Wayne?

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$172,107

Down Payment (20%)$34,421

Loan Amount$137,686

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,375

Monthly P&I-$902

Est. Expenses (35%)-$481

Net Cash Flow-$8/mo

6.2%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-0.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

9.59%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 6.2% 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

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

96/100

Based on 9.59% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

81/100

Based on 3.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

85/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentWayneMI	78	$172,107	$1,375	9.59%	Strong Buy
TuscolaMI	78	$178,691	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
BayMI	75	$175,060	$1,143	7.84%	Strong Buy	View
GratiotMI	75	$172,768	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
DickinsonMI	75	$171,172	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
HillsdaleMI	74	$202,422	Est. pending	—	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuyWayne is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Wayne County in Michigan scores 78/100, ranking #13 of 1,000 US counties (top 1%). The 9.59% rent-to-price ratio exceeds the 1% rule target, suggesting strong cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-8/mo

Cap Rate

6.2%

Cash-on-Cash

-0.2%