Is Kittitas County, WA good for real estate investing?

Kittitas County has an investment score of 38/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #727 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Kittitas County is 3.80% annually, which ranks in the 4th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Kittitas?

The median home price in Kittitas County is $491,430. This ranks #909 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Kittitas?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Kittitas County would generate negative cash flow of $1,564/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Kittitas County

WashingtonPopulation: 44,424

/100

Avoid

#727 of 1,000 counties

#31 in Washington (39 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

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

Market Snapshot

$491,430

Median Home Price

110% above national median

$1,557/mo

Median Rent

3% above national median

3.80%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 96% nationally

-$1,564

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,557/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	$368,573	-$920/mo	3.3%	-13.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$491,430	-$1,564/mo	2.5%	-16.6%
125% of median newer / premium	$614,288	-$2,208/mo	2.0%	-18.8%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$491,430

Down Payment (20%)$98,286

Loan Amount$393,144

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,557

Monthly P&I-$2,576

Est. Expenses (35%)-$545

Net Cash Flow-$1,564/mo

2.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-16.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.80%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.5% 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

38/100

Cash Flow(30%)

27/100

Based on 3.80% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

48/100

Based on -0.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

26/100

Price-to-income ratio of 7.4x. 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

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (3.80%)
-Declining home values (-0.4% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,564/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

44,424

Median Income

$66,800

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

7.4x

Less affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+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)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
KlickitatWA	41	$455,628	$1,681	4.43%	Avoid	View
ChelanWA	40	$526,792	$1,747	3.98%	Avoid	View
WhatcomWA	40	$600,648	$2,018	4.03%	Avoid	View
IslandWA	39	$623,534	$2,015	3.88%	Avoid	View
CurrentKittitasWA	38	$491,430	$1,557	3.80%	Avoid
SnohomishWA	37	$739,453	$2,150	3.49%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidKittitas may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Kittitas County in Washington scores 38/100, ranking #727 of 1,000 US counties (top 96%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $1564/month; the 3.80% 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

$-1,564/mo

Cap Rate

2.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-16.6%

Related markets

Markets like Kittitas with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Kittitas

Klickitat County, lower entry price

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Washington →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Kittitas?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,557/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	$368,573	-$920/mo	3.3%	-13.0%
Median typical MLS deal	$491,430	-$1,564/mo	2.5%	-16.6%
125% of median newer / premium	$614,288	-$2,208/mo	2.0%	-18.8%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$491,430

Down Payment (20%)$98,286

Loan Amount$393,144

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,557

Monthly P&I-$2,576

Est. Expenses (35%)-$545

Net Cash Flow-$1,564/mo

2.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-16.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

3.80%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.5% 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

38/100

Cash Flow(30%)

27/100

Based on 3.80% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

48/100

Based on -0.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

26/100

Price-to-income ratio of 7.4x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+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)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

County

Verdict

KlickitatWA

$455,628

$1,681

4.43%

Avoid

View

ChelanWA

$526,792

$1,747

3.98%

Avoid

View

WhatcomWA

$600,648

$2,018

4.03%

Avoid

View

IslandWA

$623,534

$2,015

3.88%

Avoid

View

CurrentKittitasWA

$491,430

$1,557

3.80%

Avoid

SnohomishWA

$739,453

$2,150

3.49%

Avoid

View

The Bottom Line

AvoidKittitas may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,564/mo

Cap Rate

2.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-16.6%