Real Estate Investing in Portland, Connecticut (06480)

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

Middlesex County • Population: 9,421 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 06480 (Portland, CT)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (76/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 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
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

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

What’s happening in Portland, CT (06480)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $420,333
Avg Monthly Rent $1,476
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $116,098
% Renters 17.6%

Market Analysis: 06480 Portland

Not every below-median market is a bargain. Portland's 06480 ZIP registers signals that favor experienced operators who can absorb the risk $420K pricing implies.

Rent of $1,476/mo on a $420K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 06480 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

ZIP 06480's metrics run below Middlesex County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Put differently, 9,421 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.

The 06480 ZIP fits a narrow investor profile — hands-on, patient, and willing to accept that the cap rate on paper is not the cap rate in reality.

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 Portland:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 70/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.4%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,476/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
20 days
Average time to sell
Fast
8.2%
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 Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 06480

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
3.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+9.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$110,281/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $246,929 $1,300 3.8% +9.0% $246,929
2BR $328,841 $1,640 3.6% +9.0% $164,421
3BR $388,818 $1,970 3.6% +8.9% $129,606
4BR $508,963 $2,230 3.2% +9.2% $127,241
5BR $551,404 +9.8% $110,281

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$436K$390K$344K$297K$251K$205KJan 2012May 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 06480 Compare?

Metric 06480 Portland Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT Connecticut
Home Value $420,333 $420,333 N/A $425,784
5-Year CAGR 7.3% 7.3% N/A 9.3%
Avg Rent $1,476 $1,476 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.7% 2.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 06480? 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.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 06480 (Portland, CT). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 06480 (Portland, CT)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+7.3%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $420,333
Monthly Rent $1,476
Price-to-Rent 23.7:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.2%
Cap Rate 2.7%
5-Year IRR 10.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.4% ▲
3-Year CAGR +7.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.3% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.7%). 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
7.9%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.3%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 06480

Population: 9,421

💰 Median Household Income
$116,098
This area
$116,098
State
$105,835
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
17.6%
This area
17.6%
State
26.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.3%
This area
3.3%
State
-3.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
48.9%
This area
48.9%
State
27.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
40.8 years
This area
40.8 years
State
29.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.9%
This area
7.9%
State
10.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 89.9%
Other/Mixed 5.5%
Hispanic/Latino 4.4%
Asian 3.5%
Black/African American 1.0%
👶 Under 18
23.1%
This area
23.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.0%
This area
17.0%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
1.4%
This area
1.4%
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 06480

A+ Avg School Grade
5 Schools
11.0:1 Avg Class Size
$23,796 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Portland High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
305 Students
👨‍🏫
10.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,796 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Brownstone Intermediate School

📚 05 – 06 School
👥
210 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,796 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Gildersleeve School

📚 02 – 04 Elementary
👥
269 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$23,796 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Portland Middle School

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
211 Students
👨‍🏫
10.1:1 Class Size
💰
$23,796 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Valley View School

📚 Pre-K – 01 Elementary
👥
228 Students
👨‍🏫
11.9:1 Class Size
💰
$23,796 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

8 Nearby 1,766 Off-Campus Students
C+
Holy Apostles College and Seminary
709 students · 3.1 mi
D
Cortiva Institute
220 students · 4.6 mi
B+
Wesleyan University
3,271 students · 4.6 mi
C
International Institute of Cosmetology
184 students · 8.4 mi
C
Lincoln Technical Institute-New Britain
783 students · 9.5 mi
C+
CT Aerotech
34 students · 10.0 mi
C
Goodwin University
3,034 students · 10.3 mi
C
Charter Oak State College
1,766 students · 11.0 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,766 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Portland, CT good for house hacking?

House hacking in Portland, CT is a challenging. With home values around $420K and rents at $1,476/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

Is Portland, CT a smart market for rental property?

The 3.0/5 investability rating in Portland, CT reflects its $420K prices and $1,476/mo rents. Investors generally consider it a solid option within CT.

How strict are landlord regulations in Portland, CT?

Portland, CT operates under CT law, which is landlord-friendly overall for landlords. Expect reliable treatment in typical lease and eviction cases.

What is the average monthly rent in Portland, CT?

Expect rents around $1,476/mo per month in Portland, CT. With home values at $420K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

What kind of tenants rent in Portland, CT?

Portland, CT offers a predictable renter base at the $1,476/mo rent level. Tenant turnover is reasonable for well-managed properties.

You know 06480 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 06480 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.

Compare Plans

How 06480 ranks in Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 06480 (Portland)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 06480 (Portland, CT).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.