Real Estate Investing in Lemont, Pennsylvania (16851)

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

Centre County • Population: 993 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 16851 (Lemont, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (45/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 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
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 15.3% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• 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 Lemont, PA (16851)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $388,336
Avg Monthly Rent $1,332
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $59,712
% Renters 30.5%

Market Analysis: 16851 Lemont

ZIP 16851 in Lemont, PA carries a durable set of headwinds. Home values near $388K and rents of $1,332/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 16851 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

ZIP 16851's metrics run below Centre County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Who lives in 16851 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 16851 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 Lemont:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 57/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.5× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,332/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
State College, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
34 days
Average time to sell
Average
9.6%
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 State College, PA metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$403K$360K$316K$273K$229K$185KJan 2013Oct 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 16851 Compare?

Metric 16851 Lemont State College, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $388,336 $388,336 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 5.5% 5.5% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,332 $1,332 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.7% 2.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16851? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 16851 (Lemont, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Centre County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Nittany Property Management. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.5%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on State College, PA metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
40%
Days Pending
0/2
34 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $388,336
Monthly Rent $1,332
Price-to-Rent 24.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.1%
Cap Rate 2.7%
5-Year IRR 8.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.7%). 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
15.3%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.5%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16851

Population: 993

💰 Median Household Income
$59,712
This area
$59,712
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
30.5%
This area
30.5%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
5.6%
This area
5.6%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
43.2%
This area
43.2%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.7 years
This area
35.7 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
15.3%
This area
15.3%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 92.7%
Hispanic/Latino 7.3%
Other/Mixed 7.3%
👶 Under 18
14.8%
This area
14.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
4.5%
This area
4.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
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

🎓 Schools in 16851

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Easterly Parkway El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 234 Easterly Pkwy, State College
👥
320 Students
👨‍🏫
10.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Mount Nittany MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 656 Brandywine Dr, State College
👥
712 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Corl Street El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 235 Corl St, State College
👥
226 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Mount Nittany El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 700 Brandywine Drive, State College
👥
424 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Spring Creek El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 217 Scholl St, State College
👥
381 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 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

4 Nearby 9,651 Off-Campus Students
B+
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
50,399 students · 3.4 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus
13,564 students · 3.4 mi
C
South Hills School of Business & Technology
242 students · 3.8 mi
C+
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
126 students · 5.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 9,651 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lemont, PA a good place for real estate investing?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Lemont, PA ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $388K and rents of $1,332/mo drive the underlying numbers.

How high is vacancy risk in Lemont, PA?

Vacancy in Lemont, PA is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $1,332/mo.

Is Lemont, PA better for rentals, flips, or BRRRR?

The best-fit strategy in Lemont, PA is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

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

The house hack math a challenging in Lemont, PA. Owner-occupant buyers benefit from the $1,332/mo rents and $388K home values.

What do rentals go for in Lemont, PA?

Lemont, PA rentals go for roughly $1,332/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $388K acquisition costs.

You know 16851 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16851 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 16851 ranks in State College, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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