Real Estate Investing in Harlan, Iowa

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

1 ZIP codes • Population: 6,480 • Shelby County

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Should you buy in Harlan, IA? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (66/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 9.5% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Harlan, IA?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Citywide average

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

6.9% 5yr CAGR

5.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

🏦 30-yr Fixed Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS
Avg Investability
Avg Home Value $211,348
Avg Monthly Rent $891
ZIP Codes 1

Investing in Harlan Real Estate

With a sizable population across 1 ZIPs, Harlan shows the kind of muted fundamentals that keep most out-of-state capital on the sidelines.

firmly Harlan's aggregate rating of ★★★☆☆ reflects modest investor metrics across the board — weak rent growth, weak appreciation, and rising-vacancy pressure in multiple ZIPs.

clearly Harlan's sale market has not rewarded patience. a challenging fit for listings sit longer, price cuts are common, and rent growth has been flat to negative in multiple ZIPs.

The 0% renter share in Harlan masks uneven tenant quality across ZIPs, and $N/AK median income leaves little cushion against economic shocks.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

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Avg Home Value
$211,348
Avg Monthly Rent
$891
1% Rule
✗ Below
Landlord Friendly (IA)

ZIP Codes in Harlan, IA

Screen every ZIP in Harlan

Filter Harlan’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Harlan, IA

Should investors consider Harlan, IA?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Harlan, IA ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $211K and rents of $891/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Harlan, IA?

Tenant demand in Harlan, IA is solid. The local workforce $891/mo rents across most rental classes.

How much do tenants pay in Harlan, IA?

Rent in Harlan, IA is around $891/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $211K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

Is Harlan, IA good for house hacking?

House hacking in Harlan, IA is a challenging. With home values around $211K and rents at $891/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

Are there empty rentals in Harlan, IA?

Vacancy in Harlan, IA is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $891/mo.

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