Real Estate Investing in Charlestown, New Hampshire (03603)

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

Sullivan County • Population: 5,272 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 03603 (Charlestown, NH)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (50/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 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
  • High vacancy: 16.3% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Charlestown, NH (03603)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $312,253
Avg Monthly Rent $1,539
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $47,259
% Renters 26.0%

Market Analysis: 03603 Charlestown

This part of Sullivan County is not an easy win. The 03603 ZIP sits at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

The investment case in 03603 is solid only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $312K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

The gap between 03603 and stronger Charlestown ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

From a cash-flow lens, 5,272 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 03603 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Charlestown:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 62/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,539/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Lebanon, NH-VT Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
52 days
Average time to sell
Average
6.9%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Lebanon, NH-VT metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 03603

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
5.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+12.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$87,419/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $264,288 $1,710 4.7% +12.1% $132,144
3BR $309,152 $2,370 5.5% +11.1% $103,051
4BR $349,677 $2,640 5.4% +11.2% $87,419

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$328K$285K$242K$199K$156K$113KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 03603 Compare?

Metric 03603 Charlestown Lebanon, NH-VT New Hampshire
Home Value $312,253 $312,253 N/A $496,656
5-Year CAGR 8.8% 8.8% N/A 9.6%
Avg Rent $1,539 $1,539 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.8% 3.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 03603? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 03603 (Charlestown, NH). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.8%
Low
5yr Growth
+8.8%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $312,253
Monthly Rent $1,539
Price-to-Rent 16.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.9%
Cap Rate 3.8%
5-Year IRR 12.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +8.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.8%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.8%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
16.3%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+8.8%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 03603

Population: 5,272

💰 Median Household Income
$47,259
This area
$47,259
State
$93,430
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
26.0%
This area
26.0%
State
18.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.7%
This area
2.7%
State
-6.0%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
20.6%
This area
20.6%
State
29.2%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
49.6 years
This area
49.6 years
State
34.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
16.3%
This area
16.3%
State
22.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.4%
Other/Mixed 2.8%
Asian 1.7%
Hispanic/Latino 1.0%
Black/African American 0.1%
👶 Under 18
19.8%
This area
19.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
25.8%
This area
25.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
8.1%
This area
8.1%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 03603

A Avg School Grade
3 Schools
15.8:1 Avg Class Size
$23,600 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Charlestown Primary School

📚 Pre-K – 04 Elementary
👥
205 Students
👨‍🏫
9.5:1 Class Size
💰
$23,600 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Charlestown Middle School

📚 05 – 08 School
👥
193 Students
👨‍🏫
11.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,600 Per Student
C+ Average

N. Charlestown Community School

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
26 Students
👨‍🏫
26.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,600 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

1 Nearby 299 Off-Campus Students
C
River Valley Community College
674 students · 10.3 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I house hack in Charlestown, NH?

House hacking works a challenging in Charlestown, NH. Rents of $1,539/mo against $312K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

Does Charlestown, NH make sense for an investment property?

Charlestown, NH scores 3.0/5 for investability. Home values sit at $312K and rents near $1,539/mo, which keeps the rent-to-price ratio in reasonable territory for buy-and-hold investors.

Do landlords face vacancy issues in Charlestown, NH?

Charlestown, NH carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect reliable absorption at market rents of $1,539/mo.

How do landlord-tenant laws work in Charlestown, NH?

For rental operators, Charlestown, NH rates as landlord-friendly. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

Is the tenant base reliable in Charlestown, NH?

The tenant pool in Charlestown, NH is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $1,539/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

You know 03603 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 03603 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 03603 ranks in Lebanon, NH-VT

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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