Best Cities for Cash Flow Investing
Cities where rental income exceeds expenses by the widest margins. Find markets with the best rent-to-price ratios.
1
West Long Branch
New Jersey
32.59%
Rent/Price
$976k
Avg Home
$26,660
Avg Rent
2
Newport
North Carolina
31.63%
Rent/Price
$347k
Avg Home
$9,227
Avg Rent
3
Cahokia
Illinois
31.15%
Rent/Price
$52k
Avg Home
$1,346
Avg Rent
4
Kelford
North Carolina
29.07%
Rent/Price
$51k
Avg Home
$1,242
Avg Rent
5
Braddock
Pennsylvania
23.43%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$1,107
Avg Rent
6
Republic
Pennsylvania
22.96%
Rent/Price
$51k
Avg Home
$972
Avg Rent
7
Newell
Pennsylvania
22.85%
Rent/Price
$72k
Avg Home
$1,368
Avg Rent
8
Madison
Illinois
22.14%
Rent/Price
$53k
Avg Home
$972
Avg Rent
9
Rouseville
Pennsylvania
22.12%
Rent/Price
$58k
Avg Home
$1,071
Avg Rent
10
Newton Falls
New York
22.04%
Rent/Price
$52k
Avg Home
$963
Avg Rent
11
Allison
Pennsylvania
21.78%
Rent/Price
$55k
Avg Home
$990
Avg Rent
12
Wayland
Kentucky
21.20%
Rent/Price
$55k
Avg Home
$963
Avg Rent
13
McDonald Chapel
Alabama
20.99%
Rent/Price
$71k
Avg Home
$1,241
Avg Rent
14
Farrell
Pennsylvania
20.70%
Rent/Price
$56k
Avg Home
$972
Avg Rent
15
Evarts
Kentucky
20.70%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$981
Avg Rent
16
Cokeburg
Pennsylvania
20.45%
Rent/Price
$66k
Avg Home
$1,125
Avg Rent
17
Temple
Oklahoma
20.07%
Rent/Price
$51k
Avg Home
$846
Avg Rent
18
Morton
Texas
20.06%
Rent/Price
$54k
Avg Home
$900
Avg Rent
19
Shenandoah
Pennsylvania
20.03%
Rent/Price
$58k
Avg Home
$972
Avg Rent
20
Appalachia
Virginia
19.82%
Rent/Price
$52k
Avg Home
$864
Avg Rent
21
Garrett
Kentucky
19.70%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$936
Avg Rent
22
Pagedale
Missouri
19.62%
Rent/Price
$76k
Avg Home
$1,248
Avg Rent
23
Grandfield
Oklahoma
19.45%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$918
Avg Rent
24
East Saint Louis
Illinois
19.43%
Rent/Price
$55k
Avg Home
$891
Avg Rent
25
Westhampton Beach
New York
19.41%
Rent/Price
$1,620k
Avg Home
$26,100
Avg Rent
26
Ellsworth
Pennsylvania
19.39%
Rent/Price
$70k
Avg Home
$1,134
Avg Rent
27
Hollister
North Carolina
19.35%
Rent/Price
$76k
Avg Home
$1,215
Avg Rent
28
Frederick
Oklahoma
19.15%
Rent/Price
$54k
Avg Home
$855
Avg Rent
29
Andover
Ohio
18.93%
Rent/Price
$62k
Avg Home
$981
Avg Rent
30
Lyon Mountain
New York
18.81%
Rent/Price
$66k
Avg Home
$1,026
Avg Rent
31
Hollis
Oklahoma
18.60%
Rent/Price
$55k
Avg Home
$846
Avg Rent
32
Gloverville
South Carolina
18.55%
Rent/Price
$72k
Avg Home
$1,116
Avg Rent
33
Duquesne
Pennsylvania
18.49%
Rent/Price
$59k
Avg Home
$909
Avg Rent
34
Gary
Indiana
18.46%
Rent/Price
$90k
Avg Home
$1,282
Avg Rent
35
Midwest
Wyoming
18.45%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$864
Avg Rent
36
Weeksbury
Kentucky
18.40%
Rent/Price
$53k
Avg Home
$819
Avg Rent
37
Jolo
West Virginia
18.37%
Rent/Price
$51k
Avg Home
$783
Avg Rent
38
Rule
Texas
18.21%
Rent/Price
$65k
Avg Home
$981
Avg Rent
39
Robinson
Pennsylvania
18.11%
Rent/Price
$75k
Avg Home
$1,125
Avg Rent
40
McRoberts
Kentucky
18.11%
Rent/Price
$53k
Avg Home
$801
Avg Rent
41
Nunnelly
Tennessee
18.09%
Rent/Price
$65k
Avg Home
$909
Avg Rent
42
Bandy
Virginia
18.01%
Rent/Price
$55k
Avg Home
$819
Avg Rent
43
Mount Carmel
Pennsylvania
18.01%
Rent/Price
$59k
Avg Home
$873
Avg Rent
44
Weldon
North Carolina
17.99%
Rent/Price
$56k
Avg Home
$837
Avg Rent
45
Mystic
Iowa
17.96%
Rent/Price
$61k
Avg Home
$909
Avg Rent
46
Earle
Arkansas
17.91%
Rent/Price
$64k
Avg Home
$954
Avg Rent
47
Shamokin
Pennsylvania
17.87%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$855
Avg Rent
48
Lily Dale
New York
17.85%
Rent/Price
$64k
Avg Home
$945
Avg Rent
49
Markham
Illinois
17.82%
Rent/Price
$153k
Avg Home
$2,280
Avg Rent
50
Hobart
Oklahoma
17.78%
Rent/Price
$68k
Avg Home
$990
Avg Rent
51
Windsor
North Carolina
17.73%
Rent/Price
$59k
Avg Home
$873
Avg Rent
52
Drift
Kentucky
17.61%
Rent/Price
$69k
Avg Home
$1,008
Avg Rent
53
Stopover
Kentucky
17.50%
Rent/Price
$60k
Avg Home
$882
Avg Rent
54
Dolton
Illinois
17.49%
Rent/Price
$154k
Avg Home
$2,248
Avg Rent
55
Muse
Pennsylvania
17.46%
Rent/Price
$90k
Avg Home
$1,314
Avg Rent
56
Colerain
North Carolina
17.44%
Rent/Price
$65k
Avg Home
$945
Avg Rent
57
De Soto
Georgia
17.39%
Rent/Price
$72k
Avg Home
$1,035
Avg Rent
58
Wheatland
Pennsylvania
17.38%
Rent/Price
$64k
Avg Home
$927
Avg Rent
59
Clairfield
Tennessee
17.37%
Rent/Price
$58k
Avg Home
$837
Avg Rent
60
Iaeger
West Virginia
17.29%
Rent/Price
$54k
Avg Home
$783
Avg Rent
61
Earlington
Kentucky
17.27%
Rent/Price
$55k
Avg Home
$783
Avg Rent
62
Jewell Ridge
Virginia
17.23%
Rent/Price
$67k
Avg Home
$932
Avg Rent
63
Melvin
Kentucky
17.22%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$810
Avg Rent
64
Arbyrd
Missouri
17.16%
Rent/Price
$56k
Avg Home
$801
Avg Rent
65
Bellefontaine Neighbors
Missouri
17.14%
Rent/Price
$95k
Avg Home
$1,359
Avg Rent
66
Skellytown
Texas
17.12%
Rent/Price
$67k
Avg Home
$945
Avg Rent
67
Detroit
Michigan
17.03%
Rent/Price
$116k
Avg Home
$1,291
Avg Rent
68
York
Alabama
16.99%
Rent/Price
$53k
Avg Home
$747
Avg Rent
69
Mallie
Kentucky
16.99%
Rent/Price
$74k
Avg Home
$1,008
Avg Rent
70
Florence
Kansas
16.98%
Rent/Price
$61k
Avg Home
$855
Avg Rent
71
Itta Bena
Mississippi
16.95%
Rent/Price
$54k
Avg Home
$765
Avg Rent
72
Freeburn
Kentucky
16.94%
Rent/Price
$63k
Avg Home
$882
Avg Rent
73
Quogue
New York
16.93%
Rent/Price
$2,834k
Avg Home
$39,911
Avg Rent
74
Fleming-Neon
Kentucky
16.89%
Rent/Price
$56k
Avg Home
$783
Avg Rent
75
Buffalo
Oklahoma
16.88%
Rent/Price
$61k
Avg Home
$846
Avg Rent
76
Montauk
New York
16.80%
Rent/Price
$1,976k
Avg Home
$27,763
Avg Rent
77
Wilmerding
Pennsylvania
16.76%
Rent/Price
$72k
Avg Home
$1,008
Avg Rent
78
Hazel Crest
Illinois
16.75%
Rent/Price
$179k
Avg Home
$2,491
Avg Rent
79
Lamesa
Texas
16.74%
Rent/Price
$109k
Avg Home
$1,521
Avg Rent
80
Blackwell
Oklahoma
16.69%
Rent/Price
$63k
Avg Home
$882
Avg Rent
81
Newell
West Virginia
16.64%
Rent/Price
$63k
Avg Home
$873
Avg Rent
82
Buras
Louisiana
16.63%
Rent/Price
$114k
Avg Home
$1,575
Avg Rent
83
Hi Hat
Kentucky
16.63%
Rent/Price
$59k
Avg Home
$810
Avg Rent
84
Greenville
Mississippi
16.62%
Rent/Price
$58k
Avg Home
$794
Avg Rent
85
Bogalusa
Louisiana
16.61%
Rent/Price
$87k
Avg Home
$1,206
Avg Rent
86
Midfield
Alabama
16.61%
Rent/Price
$81k
Avg Home
$1,117
Avg Rent
87
Tarrant
Alabama
16.60%
Rent/Price
$81k
Avg Home
$1,127
Avg Rent
88
Jet
Oklahoma
16.60%
Rent/Price
$64k
Avg Home
$855
Avg Rent
89
Whiteface
Texas
16.53%
Rent/Price
$63k
Avg Home
$873
Avg Rent
90
East Carondelet
Illinois
16.44%
Rent/Price
$78k
Avg Home
$1,062
Avg Rent
91
Marvell
Arkansas
16.41%
Rent/Price
$58k
Avg Home
$792
Avg Rent
92
Meredosia
Illinois
16.40%
Rent/Price
$61k
Avg Home
$828
Avg Rent
93
Cumberland
Kentucky
16.40%
Rent/Price
$60k
Avg Home
$807
Avg Rent
94
Van
West Virginia
16.38%
Rent/Price
$57k
Avg Home
$783
Avg Rent
95
Haileyville
Oklahoma
16.37%
Rent/Price
$62k
Avg Home
$846
Avg Rent
96
Mousie
Kentucky
16.31%
Rent/Price
$67k
Avg Home
$873
Avg Rent
97
Aultman
Pennsylvania
16.31%
Rent/Price
$66k
Avg Home
$891
Avg Rent
98
Crosbyton
Texas
16.30%
Rent/Price
$72k
Avg Home
$972
Avg Rent
99
Mangum
Oklahoma
16.26%
Rent/Price
$63k
Avg Home
$855
Avg Rent
100
Jenkins
Kentucky
16.25%
Rent/Price
$59k
Avg Home
$801
Avg Rent
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📊 How We Ranked These
Cash flow rankings prioritize markets where rent-to-price ratios exceed 1% (the "1% rule"). We also factor in vacancy rates, property taxes, insurance costs, and typical maintenance expenses to estimate realistic net cash flow.
1% Rule
Vacancy Rate
Cap Rate
Low Expenses
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 1% rule?
The 1% rule is a quick screening test: if monthly rent equals or exceeds 1% of the purchase price, the property is likely to cash flow. For example, a $150,000 home should rent for at least $1,500/month to meet the 1% rule.
Can I find cash flow in expensive markets?
It's challenging. Coastal markets like San Francisco and New York rarely cash flow - investors there bet on appreciation instead. For cash flow, look at Midwest cities like Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Kansas City, or Southern markets like Memphis and Birmingham.