Real Estate Investing in Ford Cliff, Pennsylvania (16228)

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

Armstrong County • Population: 386 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 16228 (Ford Cliff, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (81/100)

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 (57/100)

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: 9.5% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

• 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 Ford Cliff, PA (16228)?

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

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

5.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $108,978
Avg Monthly Rent $927
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $57,000
% Renters 11.7%

Market Analysis: 16228 Ford Cliff

ZIP 16228 in Ford Cliff, PA carries a substantial set of headwinds. Home values near $109K and rents of $927/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

In practical terms, the numbers look inviting — $109K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 16228 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Regionally, 16228 sits on the difficult end of the PA spectrum. The a credible choice for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Meanwhile, 386 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.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. robust returns are possible in 16228, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

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 Ford Cliff:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 75/100
Affordability
25/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 1.9× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $927/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

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$114K$102K$90K$78K$66K$54KJan 2015Oct 2020Jul 2026

📊 How Does 16228 Compare?

Metric 16228 Ford Cliff Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $108,978 $108,978 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 4.2% 4.2% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $927 $927 N/A -
Cap Rate 6.6% 6.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16228? 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 16228 (Ford Cliff, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 16228 (Ford Cliff, PA)?

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

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
6.6%
Good
5yr Growth
+4.2%
Moderate

📉 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 $108,978
Monthly Rent $927
Price-to-Rent 9.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 10.2%
Cap Rate 6.6%
5-Year IRR 10.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Neutral Leverage Cap Rate: 6.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage is roughly neutral here.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) is close to the estimated cap rate (6.6%). Financing this market at current rates produces a cash-on-cash return near the cap rate. Appreciation and tax benefits may still support the investment.

⚠️ Risk Signals

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

Vacancy
9.5%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16228

Population: 386

💰 Median Household Income
$57,000
This area
$57,000
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
11.7%
This area
11.7%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.9%
This area
1.9%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
11.6%
This area
11.6%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
49.9 years
This area
49.9 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
9.5%
This area
9.5%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 96.3%
Asian 2.8%
Black/African American 0.6%
Other/Mixed 0.3%
👶 Under 18
12.4%
This area
12.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
22.5%
This area
22.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.8%
This area
6.8%
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 14 Off-Campus Students
C+
Lenape Technical School Practical Nursing Program
71 students · 0.9 mi
C
Butler Beauty Academy-Kittanning Beauty Academy
39 students · 3.8 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

What price range are homes in Ford Cliff, PA?

Median home price in Ford Cliff, PA is near $109K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been reliable and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

Can owner-occupants cash flow in Ford Cliff, PA?

Ford Cliff, PA is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $109K price point reasonable to enter.

Does Ford Cliff, PA make sense for an investment property?

The 3.0/5 investability rating in Ford Cliff, PA reflects its $109K prices and $927/mo rents. Investors generally consider it a solid option within PA.

What is the rental occupancy rate in Ford Cliff, PA?

Occupancy in Ford Cliff, PA runs consistent with elevated vacancy. Well-priced units at $927/mo lease on reasonable timelines.

Are landlord laws favorable in Ford Cliff, PA?

Rental owners in Ford Cliff, PA deal with a landlord-friendly legal framework. Most standard eviction processes run on reasonable timelines.

You know 16228 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16228 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 16228 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 16228 (Ford Cliff)

Loading...

Community Ratings

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

Be the first to rate 16228 (Ford Cliff, PA).

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