Real Estate Investing in Oil City, Pennsylvania (16301)

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

Venango County • Population: 15,067 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 16301 (Oil City, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (72/100)

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

📈 For Investors
STRONG
5.0 / 5 (100/100)

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: 18.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • 1-year downturn: Values declined 4.0% in the last year.

What’s happening in Oil City, PA (16301)?

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5.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

5.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $89,152
Avg Monthly Rent $1,045
1% Rule ✓ Meets
Median Income $54,558
% Renters 29.0%

Market Analysis: 16301 Oil City

ZIP 16301 inside Oil City, PA leans into a value-add thesis. Home values near $89K sit below the state median, and rents of $1,045/mo leave room for forced-equity plays.

BRRRR works in 16301 because the math supports it. Buy at $89K, rehab, and the refinance step typically recovers capital in a way that flat-yield markets cannot match.

The an appealing option for piece of regional context is that nearby ZIPs with newer stock and higher basis have priced out of the value-add game. 16301 has not.

Residents in 16301 skew younger than the county average, and that matters for rehab positioning. Younger renters respond to finishes, appliances, and in-unit laundry in ways that move rent.

The strategy in 16301 is forced equity, not market equity. Looking more closely, entry prices are accommodating at $89K, the returns sit in the renovation budget, not the holding period.

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 Oil City:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 75/100
Affordability
25/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 1.6× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-4.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,045/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
Oil City, PA Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.5%
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 Oil City, PA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 16301

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
4BR
10.9% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+7.5% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$20,539/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $56,878 $760 9.6% +7.1% $56,878
2BR $83,621 $1,000 8.6% +7.5% $41,810
3BR $95,210 $1,250 9.5% +6.7% $31,737
4BR $94,460 $1,430 10.9% +5.8% $23,615
5BR $102,697 +4.4% $20,539

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$101K$91K$81K$71K$62K$52KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

No data available

📊 How Does 16301 Compare?

Metric 16301 Oil City Oil City, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $89,152 $89,152 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 3.2% 3.2% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,045 $1,045 N/A -
Cap Rate 9.1% 9.1% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16301? Click to expand

This ZIP code meets the 1% rule with rent at $1,045/mo on homes averaging $89,152 — a strong indicator of cash flow potential.

Our analysis gives this area a 5/5 investability rating, placing it in the top tier for rental property potential.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 16301 (Oil City, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Excellent
Cap Rate
9.1%
Excellent
5yr Growth
+3.2%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Oil City, PA metro

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

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $89,152
Monthly Rent $1,045
Price-to-Rent 7.1:1
1% Rule ✓ Passes

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 14.1%
Cap Rate 9.1%
5-Year IRR 12.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -4.0% ▼
3-Year CAGR +1.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Positive Leverage Market Cap Rate: 9.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage may enhance returns here.

The estimated cap rate (9.1%) exceeds the current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%). When borrowing costs less than a property yields, leverage can increase your cash-on-cash return above the cap rate.

⚠️ Risk Signals

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

Vacancy
18.0%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16301

Population: 15,067

💰 Median Household Income
$54,558
This area
$54,558
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
29.0%
This area
29.0%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.1%
This area
4.1%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
19.1%
This area
19.1%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
45.6 years
This area
45.6 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
18.0%
This area
18.0%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 94.3%
Other/Mixed 4.5%
Hispanic/Latino 3.5%
Black/African American 0.8%
Asian 0.3%
👶 Under 18
19.7%
This area
19.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
22.0%
This area
22.0%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
10.5%
This area
10.5%
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 16301

A Avg School Grade
6 Schools
10.0:1 Avg Class Size
$24,241 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Hasson Heights Sch

📚 K – 04 Elementary
👥
389 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$24,241 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Oil City Area MS

📚 05 – 08 School
👥
562 Students
👨‍🏫
13.3:1 Class Size
💰
$24,241 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Oil City SHS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
608 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$24,241 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Seventh Street Sch

📚 02 – 04 Elementary
👥
152 Students
👨‍🏫
9.9:1 Class Size
💰
$24,241 Per Student
A Very Good

Smedley Street Sch

📚 K – 01 Elementary
👥
98 Students
👨‍🏫
9.6:1 Class Size
💰
$24,241 Per Student
B Good

Venango Technology Center

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
3 Students
👨‍🏫
0.2:1 Class Size
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

2 Nearby 64 Off-Campus Students
C
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School
57 students · 2.8 mi
C
University of Pittsburgh-Titusville
28 students · 12.0 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Oil City, PA make sense for an investment property?

Investors tracking Oil City, PA will find a 5.0/5 rating supported by $89K median home values and $1,045/mo rents. That profile suits long-term holders targeting even-keeled returns.

Do properties in Oil City, PA satisfy the 1% rule?

The 1% rule in Oil City, PA is reasonable to achieve. Rent-to-price at the median ($1,045/mo on $89K) lands around 1.17%.

What are rental rates like in Oil City, PA?

Rent in Oil City, PA is around $1,045/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $89K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

How should investors approach Oil City, PA?

The best-fit strategy in Oil City, PA is value-add and BRRRR deals. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

What does house hacking look like in Oil City, PA?

Oil City, PA is a an attractive market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $89K price point reasonable to enter.

You know 16301 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16301 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 16301 ranks in Oil City, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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