Is Lincoln County, MO good for real estate investing?

Lincoln County has an investment score of 61/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #295 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Lincoln County is 4.61% annually, which ranks in the 20th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Lincoln?

The median home price in Lincoln County is $308,176. This ranks #687 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Lincoln?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Lincoln County would generate negative cash flow of $845/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Lincoln County

MissouriPopulation: 60,172

/100

Hold

#295 of 1,000 counties

#69 in Missouri (113 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 11, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$308,176

Median Home Price

32% above national median

$1,185/mo

Median Rent

22% below national median

4.61%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 80% nationally

-$845

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,185/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	$231,132	-$442/mo	4.0%	-10.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$308,176	-$845/mo	3.0%	-14.3%
125% of median newer / premium	$385,220	-$1,249/mo	2.4%	-16.9%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$308,176

Down Payment (20%)$61,635

Loan Amount$246,541

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,185

Monthly P&I-$1,615

Est. Expenses (35%)-$415

Net Cash Flow-$845/mo

3.0%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.61%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.0% 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

61/100

Cash Flow(30%)

39/100

Based on 4.61% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

87/100

Based on 5.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

74/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.7x. 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 (+5.5% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.61%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$845/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.0% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

60,172

Median Income

$82,543

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.7x

Moderately affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+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)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
New MadridMO	62	$96,933	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentLincolnMO	61	$308,176	$1,185	4.61%	Buy
ScottMO	61	$150,454	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
Saint CharlesMO	60	$360,670	$1,700	5.66%	Buy	View
Cape GirardeauMO	60	$236,877	$908	4.60%	Buy	View
ColeMO	60	$270,293	$982	4.36%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldLincoln scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $845/mo at current rates. Consider house hacking, value-add, or all-cash; otherwise a worse score with positive cash flow may be the better deal.

Lincoln County in Missouri scores 61/100, ranking #295 of 1,000 US counties (top 39%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $845/month; the 4.61% 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

$-845/mo

Cap Rate

3.0%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.3%

Related markets

Markets like Lincoln with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Lincoln

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Missouri →

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,185/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	$231,132	-$442/mo	4.0%	-10.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$308,176	-$845/mo	3.0%	-14.3%
125% of median newer / premium	$385,220	-$1,249/mo	2.4%	-16.9%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$308,176

Down Payment (20%)$61,635

Loan Amount$246,541

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,185

Monthly P&I-$1,615

Est. Expenses (35%)-$415

Net Cash Flow-$845/mo

3.0%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.61%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.0% 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

61/100

Cash Flow(30%)

39/100

Based on 4.61% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

87/100

Based on 5.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

74/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.7x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Appreciation buyers: YoY growth is meaningfully above the long-run average
+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+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)

County

Verdict

New MadridMO

$96,933

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

CurrentLincolnMO

$308,176

$1,185

4.61%

Buy

ScottMO

$150,454

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

Saint CharlesMO

$360,670

$1,700

5.66%

Buy

View

Cape GirardeauMO

$236,877

$908

4.60%

Buy

View

ColeMO

$270,293

$982

4.36%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-845/mo

Cap Rate

3.0%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.3%