Real Estate Investing in Dawson, Pennsylvania (15428)

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

Fayette County • Population: 1,867 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 15428 (Dawson, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (71/100)

Solid choice — stable market with a reasonable entry point and good rental backup if you ever need to move.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 11.4% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

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

What’s happening in Dawson, PA (15428)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

1.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $160,620
Avg Monthly Rent $936
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $62,222
% Renters 15.2%

Market Analysis: 15428 Dawson

Investors eyeing 15428 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $161K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

Rent of $936/mo on a $161K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 15428 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

Regionally, 15428 sits on the difficult end of the PA spectrum. The an appealing option for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Who lives in 15428 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

The right play in 15428 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

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 Dawson:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 2.6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $936/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
42 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.7%
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 Pittsburgh, PA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 15428

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
6.0% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+4.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$61,951/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $123,902 $1,040 6.0% +4.8% $61,951
3BR $191,529 $1,330 5.0% +4.2% $63,843

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$167K$153K$140K$127K$113K$100KJan 2013Oct 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 15428 Compare?

Metric 15428 Dawson Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $160,620 $160,620 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 1.6% 1.6% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $936 $936 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.6% 4.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 15428? 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 15428 (Dawson, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 15428 (Dawson, PA)?

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.6%
Fair
5yr Growth
+1.6%
Slow

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Pittsburgh, PA metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
48%
Days Pending
1/2
42 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $160,620
Monthly Rent $936
Price-to-Rent 14.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.0%
Cap Rate 4.6%
5-Year IRR 6.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +1.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +3.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.6%). 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
11.4%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+1.6%
Flat
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 15428

Population: 1,867

💰 Median Household Income
$62,222
This area
$62,222
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
15.2%
This area
15.2%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.5%
This area
3.5%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
11.7%
This area
11.7%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
44.3 years
This area
44.3 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
11.4%
This area
11.4%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 89.3%
Other/Mixed 6.1%
Hispanic/Latino 5.2%
Black/African American 4.6%
👶 Under 18
25.2%
This area
25.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.8%
This area
17.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
4.6%
This area
4.6%
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

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

5 Nearby 2,270 Off-Campus Students
C
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly
419 students · 9.4 mi
C+
Pennsylvania Western University
11,305 students · 10.9 mi
C
Douglas Education Center
200 students · 12.3 mi
C
Westmoreland County Community College
4,275 students · 12.3 mi
C
Laurel Business Institute
397 students · 12.6 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,270 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong is the working-renter base in Dawson, PA?

Tenant demand in Dawson, PA is solid. The local workforce $936/mo rents across most rental classes.

Is Dawson, PA a good market for FHA house hackers?

Dawson, PA is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $161K price point reasonable to enter.

How do home values compare in Dawson, PA?

In Dawson, PA the median home value sits at $161K. Against the broader PA market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

How strict are landlord regulations in Dawson, PA?

Dawson, PA operates under PA law, which is landlord-friendly overall for landlords. Expect even-keeled treatment in typical lease and eviction cases.

Are there empty rentals in Dawson, PA?

Dawson, PA sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader PA rental market.

You know 15428 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 15428 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 15428 ranks in Pittsburgh, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable → 1% Rule →
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