Real Estate Investing in Petrolia, Pennsylvania (16050)

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

Butler County • Population: 978 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 16050 (Petrolia, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (57/100)

Mixed — values have been flat. OK for long-horizon buyers, less attractive if you may need to sell soon.

📈 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
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 14.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • Declining values: -1.4% 5-year CAGR — values have moved lower.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Petrolia, PA (16050)?

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

1.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $154,302
Avg Monthly Rent $1,089
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $56,583
% Renters 18.4%

Market Analysis: 16050 Petrolia

The 16050 ZIP in Petrolia, PA is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $154K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

The investment case in 16050 is notable only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $154K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

ZIP 16050's metrics run below Butler County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Resident income in 16050 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

The 16050 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 Petrolia:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 57/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
5/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 2.7× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-0.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,089/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
❄️
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

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$185K$172K$160K$147K$134K$121KFeb 2016May 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 16050 Compare?

Metric 16050 Petrolia Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $154,302 $164,969 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR N/A N/A N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,089 $1,031 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.5% 4.9% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16050? 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 16050 (Petrolia, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 16050 (Petrolia, PA)?

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

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.5%
Fair
5yr Growth
-1.4%
Declining

📉 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 $154,302
Monthly Rent $1,089
Price-to-Rent 11.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.5%
Cap Rate 5.5%
5-Year IRR 4.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -0.6% ▼
3-Year CAGR -1.6% ▼
5-Year CAGR -1.4% ▼
10-Year CAGR +1.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.5%). 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
14.0%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
-1.4%
Flat
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16050

Population: 978

💰 Median Household Income
$56,583
This area
$56,583
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
18.4%
This area
18.4%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.3%
This area
3.3%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
13.3%
This area
13.3%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.9 years
This area
47.9 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
14.0%
This area
14.0%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 93.6%
Black/African American 3.9%
Asian 1.3%
Other/Mixed 1.3%
Hispanic/Latino 0.1%
👶 Under 18
17.9%
This area
17.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.1%
This area
21.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.0%
This area
6.0%
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

2 Nearby 167 Off-Campus Students
C+
Butler Beauty Academy
14 students · 14.2 mi
C+
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
8,350 students · 14.2 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Is housing expensive in Petrolia, PA?

Petrolia, PA median home values land near $154K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,089/mo-per-month rentals.

Do landlords face vacancy issues in Petrolia, PA?

Expect elevated vacancy in Petrolia, PA. Rents at $1,089/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

What investment strategy works best in Petrolia, PA?

In Petrolia, PA the significant play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $154K prices and $1,089/mo rents suits that approach.

Is Petrolia, PA suited for a house hack?

For house hackers, Petrolia, PA is a challenging. The $1,089/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $154K property.

Is the tenant base reliable in Petrolia, PA?

The renter base in Petrolia, PA is reasonable for the $1,089/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields steady tenants.

You know 16050 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16050 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 16050 ranks in Pittsburgh, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable → 1% Rule →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 16050 (Petrolia)

Loading...

Community Ratings

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

Be the first to rate 16050 (Petrolia, PA).

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