Is Mercer County, NJ good for real estate investing?

Mercer County has an investment score of 58/100, rated as "Hold". The county ranks #382 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Mercer County is 6.75% annually, which ranks in the 71th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Mercer?

The median home price in Mercer County is $433,523. This ranks #868 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Mercer?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Mercer County would generate negative cash flow of $688/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Mercer County

New JerseyPopulation: 383,732Trenton, NJ Metro

/100

Hold

#382 of 1,000 counties

#9 in New Jersey (21 counties)

Market Snapshot

$433,523

Median Home Price

86% above national median

$2,439/mo

Median Rent

61% above national median

6.75%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 29% nationally

-$688

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$433,523

Down Payment (20%)$86,705

Loan Amount$346,818

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,439

Monthly P&I-$2,273

Est. Expenses (35%)-$854

Net Cash Flow-$688/mo

4.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-8.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.75%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.4% 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

58/100

Cash Flow(30%)

68/100

Based on 6.75% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

55/100

Based on 0.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

60/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.7x. 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

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (6.75%)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$688/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.4% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

383,732

Median Income

$92,697

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

4.7x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
WarrenNJ	61	$410,388	$2,012	5.88%	Buy	View
CurrentMercerNJ	58	$433,523	$2,439	6.75%	Hold
MiddlesexNJ	58	$567,497	$2,544	5.38%	Hold	View
OceanNJ	58	$527,692	$2,735	6.22%	Hold	View
MorrisNJ	55	$677,872	$2,834	5.02%	Hold	View
HunterdonNJ	55	$614,687	$2,527	4.93%	Hold	View

The Bottom Line

HoldMercer is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Mercer County in New Jersey scores 58/100, ranking #382 of 1,000 US counties (top 50%). The 6.75% 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

$-688/mo

Cap Rate

4.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-8.3%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Mercer?

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$433,523

Down Payment (20%)$86,705

Loan Amount$346,818

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,439

Monthly P&I-$2,273

Est. Expenses (35%)-$854

Net Cash Flow-$688/mo

4.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-8.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.75%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.4% 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

58/100

Cash Flow(30%)

68/100

Based on 6.75% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

55/100

Based on 0.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

60/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.7x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

WarrenNJ

$410,388

$2,012

5.88%

Buy

View

CurrentMercerNJ

$433,523

$2,439

6.75%

Hold

MiddlesexNJ

$567,497

$2,544

5.38%

Hold

View

OceanNJ

$527,692

$2,735

6.22%

Hold

View

MorrisNJ

$677,872

$2,834

5.02%

Hold

View

HunterdonNJ

$614,687

$2,527

4.93%

Hold

View

The Bottom Line

HoldMercer is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-688/mo

Cap Rate

4.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-8.3%