Is Northumberland County, PA good for real estate investing?

Northumberland County has an investment score of 74/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #54 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Northumberland County is 7.20% annually, which ranks in the 81th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Northumberland?

The median home price in Northumberland County is $160,850. This ranks #195 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Northumberland?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Northumberland County would generate negative cash flow of $216/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Northumberland County

PennsylvaniaPopulation: 91,340

/100

Hold

#54 of 1,000 counties

#9 in Pennsylvania (67 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

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

Market Snapshot

$160,850

Median Home Price

31% below national median

$965/mo

Median Rent

36% below national median

7.20%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 19% nationally

-$216

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $965/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	$120,637	-$5/mo	6.2%	-0.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$160,850	-$216/mo	4.7%	-7.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$201,062	-$427/mo	3.7%	-11.1%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$160,850

Down Payment (20%)$32,170

Loan Amount$128,680

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$965

Monthly P&I-$843

Est. Expenses (35%)-$338

Net Cash Flow-$216/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-7.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.20%

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

74/100

Cash Flow(30%)

72/100

Based on 7.20% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 5.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

87/100

Price-to-income ratio of 2.9x. 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 (7.20%)
+Strong price appreciation (+5.9% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$216/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

91,340

Median Income

$55,952

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

2.9x

Very 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
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

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
SusquehannaPA	75	$224,876	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
CurrentNorthumberlandPA	74	$160,850	$965	7.20%	Buy
BlairPA	74	$166,151	$1,000	7.22%	Buy	View
PhiladelphiaPA	73	$228,589	$1,704	8.94%	Buy	View
BeaverPA	72	$192,005	$1,068	6.67%	Buy	View
LuzernePA	71	$213,661	$1,291	7.25%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldNorthumberland scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $216/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.

Northumberland County in Pennsylvania scores 74/100, ranking #54 of 1,000 US counties (top 7%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $216/month; the 7.20% 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

$-216/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-7.0%

Related markets

Markets like Northumberland with stronger cash flow

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Pennsylvania →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Northumberland?

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Scenario comparison

Same $965/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	$120,637	-$5/mo	6.2%	-0.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$160,850	-$216/mo	4.7%	-7.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$201,062	-$427/mo	3.7%	-11.1%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$160,850

Down Payment (20%)$32,170

Loan Amount$128,680

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$965

Monthly P&I-$843

Est. Expenses (35%)-$338

Net Cash Flow-$216/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-7.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.20%

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

74/100

Cash Flow(30%)

72/100

Based on 7.20% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 5.9% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

87/100

Price-to-income ratio of 2.9x. 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
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up

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

SusquehannaPA

$224,876

Est. pending

—

Strong Buy

View

CurrentNorthumberlandPA

$160,850

$965

7.20%

Buy

BlairPA

$166,151

$1,000

7.22%

Buy

View

PhiladelphiaPA

$228,589

$1,704

8.94%

Buy

View

BeaverPA

$192,005

$1,068

6.67%

Buy

View

LuzernePA

$213,661

$1,291

7.25%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-216/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-7.0%