Real Estate Investing in Pine Grove Mills, Pennsylvania (16868)

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

Centre County • Population: 1,174 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 16868 (Pine Grove Mills, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (68/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 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: 17.7% of homes vacant — above national norms.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Pine Grove Mills, PA (16868)?

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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 $319,603
Avg Monthly Rent $1,386
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $152,790
% Renters 0.0%

Market Analysis: 16868 Pine Grove Mills

This part of Centre County is not an easy win. The 16868 ZIP comes in at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

The investment case in 16868 is robust only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $320K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

In the broader PA picture, 16868 is a reminder that not every low-priced ZIP is a value-add opportunity — some are simply distressed, and the difference matters.

The 16868 ZIP's population of 1,174 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that registers the need for careful underwriting.

New investors are better served looking at Pine Grove Mills's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 16868. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

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 Pine Grove Mills:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 77/100
Affordability
25/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 2.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,386/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
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)

$333K$294K$255K$216K$178K$139KJan 2013Oct 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 16868 Compare?

Metric 16868 Pine Grove Mills State College, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $319,603 $319,603 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 5.7% 5.7% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,386 $1,386 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.4% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16868? 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 16868 (Pine Grove Mills, 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
3.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.7%
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 $319,603
Monthly Rent $1,386
Price-to-Rent 19.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.2%
Cap Rate 3.4%
5-Year IRR 9.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.4%). 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
17.7%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16868

Population: 1,174

💰 Median Household Income
$152,790
This area
$152,790
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
0.0%
This area
0.0%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
59.6%
This area
59.6%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
52.9 years
This area
52.9 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
17.7%
This area
17.7%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 98.2%
Other/Mixed 1.2%
Black/African American 0.4%
Asian 0.3%
👶 Under 18
6.8%
This area
6.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
19.7%
This area
19.7%
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 16868

A+ Avg School Grade
1 Schools
12.5:1 Avg Class Size
$23,986 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Ferguson Twp El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
290 Students
👨‍🏫
12.5:1 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
C
South Hills School of Business & Technology
242 students · 3.8 mi
B+
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
50,399 students · 5.0 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus
13,564 students · 5.0 mi
C+
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
126 students · 13.3 mi

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I expect to pay for a home in Pine Grove Mills, PA?

Typical homes in Pine Grove Mills, PA go for around $320K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% stable price movement.

Does house hacking make sense in Pine Grove Mills, PA?

House hacking works a challenging in Pine Grove Mills, PA. Rents of $1,386/mo against $320K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

Is Pine Grove Mills, PA landlord-friendly?

PA ranks as a landlord-friendly state for landlord-tenant law. Pine Grove Mills generally follows the statewide framework, so landlords face reasonable operating rules.

Do rentals sit vacant long in Pine Grove Mills, PA?

Expect elevated vacancy in Pine Grove Mills, PA. Rents at $1,386/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

How strong are rents in Pine Grove Mills, PA?

Investors in Pine Grove Mills, PA typically see rents near $1,386/mo per month against $320K home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

You know 16868 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16868 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 16868 ranks in State College, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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