Real Estate Investing in Palmyra, Pennsylvania (17078)

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

Lebanon County • Population: 23,798 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 17078 (Palmyra, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (76/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 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.

What’s happening in Palmyra, PA (17078)?

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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 $353,432
Avg Monthly Rent $1,513
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $80,391
% Renters 31.0%

Market Analysis: 17078 Palmyra

Investors eyeing 17078 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $353K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

The 17078 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

Regionally, 17078 sits on the difficult end of the PA spectrum. The worth a close look for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

On balance, 23,798 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.

The right play in 17078 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 Palmyra:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 73/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,513/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
Lebanon, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
22 days
Average time to sell
Fast
11.4%
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 Lebanon, PA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 17078

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
4.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+9.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$105,060/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $252,935 $1,620 4.6% +9.1% $126,468
3BR $315,179 $2,060 4.7% +7.9% $105,060
4BR $465,579 $2,230 3.4% +8.1% $116,395
5BR $542,664 +8.0% $108,533

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$367K$328K$289K$250K$212K$173KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,528$1,512$1,496$1,480$1,463$1,447Jan 2026May 2026Jul 2026

📊 How Does 17078 Compare?

Metric 17078 Palmyra Lebanon, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $353,432 $353,432 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 6.6% 6.6% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,513 $1,513 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.3% 3.3% - -
💡 Why Invest in 17078? 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 17078 (Palmyra, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.3%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.6%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Lebanon, PA metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
27%
Days Pending
0/2
22 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $353,432
Monthly Rent $1,513
Price-to-Rent 19.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.1%
Cap Rate 3.3%
5-Year IRR 9.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.3%). 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
4.8%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.6%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 17078

Population: 23,798

💰 Median Household Income
$80,391
This area
$80,391
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
31.0%
This area
31.0%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.2%
This area
2.2%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
33.4%
This area
33.4%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
40.8 years
This area
40.8 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.8%
This area
4.8%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 87.3%
Other/Mixed 9.2%
Hispanic/Latino 6.5%
Asian 2.4%
Black/African American 1.1%
👶 Under 18
24.5%
This area
24.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
19.4%
This area
19.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.9%
This area
5.9%
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 17078

B+ Avg School Grade
6 Schools
14.8:1 Avg Class Size
$15,433 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Forge Road El Sch

📚 01 – 05 Elementary
👥
350 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
A Very Good

Pine Street El Sch

📚 01 – 05 Elementary
👥
348 Students
👨‍🏫
14.6:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Northside El Sch

📚 01 – 05 Elementary
👥
232 Students
👨‍🏫
13.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Palmyra Area MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
817 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Lingle Avenue El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
575 Students
👨‍🏫
15.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B Good

Palmyra Area SHS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,195 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Hershey Early Childhood Ctr

📚 K – 01 Elementary
📍 450-Rear Homestead Road, Hershey
👥
407 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hershey Intrmd El Sch

📚 04 – 05 Elementary
📍 450 Homestead Rd, Hershey
👥
467 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hershey MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 500 Homestead Rd, Hershey
👥
741 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hershey Primary El Sch

📚 02 – 03 Elementary
📍 450 Homestead Rd, Hershey
👥
444 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

South Hanover El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 15 W 3rd St, Hershey
👥
372 Students
👨‍🏫
14.1:1 Class Size
💰
$18,394 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

8 Nearby 733 Off-Campus Students
C+
Lebanon Valley College
2,142 students · 4.7 mi
C+
Empire Beauty School-Lebanon
33 students · 8.6 mi
D
Champ's Barber School-Lebanon
19 students · 9.1 mi
C+
Elizabethtown College
2,152 students · 9.7 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
4,651 students · 10.1 mi
C
Lebanon County Area Vocational Technical School
64 students · 10.9 mi
C
Barber and Beauty Academy of Pennsylvania
44 students · 12.7 mi
D
Empire Beauty School-Harrisburg
150 students · 12.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 733 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Palmyra, PA rate as a rental market?

Palmyra, PA rates 3.0/5 for investability. With median values at $353K and rents near $1,513/mo, the market offers reasonable fundamentals for rental investors.

How deep is the rental pool in Palmyra, PA?

Expect a solid tenant pool in Palmyra, PA. The rental market absorbs $1,513/mo rents without meaningful friction.

What do rentals go for in Palmyra, PA?

Rental rates in Palmyra, PA average $1,513/mo. Tenant demand and $353K home values make the yield look reasonable by investor standards.

How should investors approach Palmyra, PA?

In Palmyra, PA the sturdy play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $353K prices and $1,513/mo rents suits that approach.

Are landlord laws favorable in Palmyra, PA?

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

You know 17078 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 17078 ranks in Lebanon, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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