Real Estate Investing in Seneca, Pennsylvania (16346)

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

Venango County • Population: 3,246 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 16346 (Seneca, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (79/100)

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 (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 Seneca, PA (16346)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $177,787
Avg Monthly Rent $873
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $61,161
% Renters 34.3%

Market Analysis: 16346 Seneca

ZIP 16346 in Seneca, PA carries a robust set of headwinds. Home values near $178K and rents of $873/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Turning to rents, the numbers look inviting — $178K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 16346 is substantial and deserves full respect.

Statewide comparisons place 16346 among PA's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

Who lives in 16346 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

Strategically, 16346 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Seneca:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 2.9× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $873/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 16346

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.2% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+6.6% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$50,139/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $134,689 $970 5.2% +6.6% $67,344
3BR $175,500 $1,220 5.0% +5.9% $58,500
4BR $200,555 $1,390 5.0% +5.9% $50,139

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$184K$165K$147K$128K$109K$90KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 16346 Compare?

Metric 16346 Seneca Oil City, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $177,787 $177,787 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 4.5% 4.5% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $873 $873 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.8% 3.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16346? 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 16346 (Seneca, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.8%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.5%
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 $177,787
Monthly Rent $873
Price-to-Rent 17.0:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.9%
Cap Rate 3.8%
5-Year IRR 8.4%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.8%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.8%). 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
6.2%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.5%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16346

Population: 3,246

💰 Median Household Income
$61,161
This area
$61,161
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
34.3%
This area
34.3%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.7%
This area
4.7%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
22.1%
This area
22.1%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.0 years
This area
47.0 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
6.2%
This area
6.2%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 94.5%
Other/Mixed 2.6%
Asian 1.8%
Black/African American 1.1%
Hispanic/Latino 0.9%
👶 Under 18
22.2%
This area
22.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
23.6%
This area
23.6%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
16.1%
This area
16.1%
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 16346

A+ Avg School Grade
2 Schools
12.7:1 Avg Class Size
$17,671 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Cranberry Area JSHS

📚 07 – 12 High School
👥
559 Students
👨‍🏫
11.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,671 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Cranberry El Sch

📚 K – 06 School
👥
584 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,671 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

1 Nearby 49 Off-Campus Students
C
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School
57 students · 3.4 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of market is Seneca, PA for investors?

Our data puts Seneca, PA at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $178K and rents around $873/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

What is the average monthly rent in Seneca, PA?

Rent in Seneca, PA is around $873/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $178K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

Should investors worry about vacancy in Seneca, PA?

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

How viable is house hacking in Seneca, PA?

The house hack math a challenging in Seneca, PA. Owner-occupant buyers benefit from the $873/mo rents and $178K home values.

How expensive is real estate in Seneca, PA?

The median home value in Seneca, PA is roughly $178K. That puts it reasonable relative to the PA statewide average.

You know 16346 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16346 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 16346 ranks in Oil City, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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