Real Estate Investing in Williamstown, Pennsylvania (17098)
Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.
Should you buy in 17098 (Williamstown, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.
Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.
A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.
- Elevated vacancy: 9.0% vacancy may signal weakening demand.
• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.
What’s happening in Williamstown, PA (17098)?
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Market Analysis: 17098 Williamstown
Investors eyeing 17098 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $134K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.
Put differently, the numbers look inviting — $134K purchase price, 0.0% nominal cap — the work to hit that pro forma in 17098 is substantial and deserves full respect.
Put differently, 17098 offers a low basis, the region around Williamstown has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.
Employment concentration in 17098 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.
New investors are better served looking at Williamstown's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 17098. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.
Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Williamstown:
Property Strategy for 17098
Which property type performs best in this market?
📊 Compare All Property Types →
| Type | Median Value | Est. Rent | Cap Rate | 5yr CAGR | $/Bedroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2BR | $104,701 | $1,140 | 7.8% | +9.0% | $52,351 |
| 3BR | $137,739 | $1,470 | 7.7% | +9.5% | $45,913 |
| 4BR | $162,332 | $1,510 | 6.7% | +9.7% | $40,583 |
Market Trends
Home Value History (with trend line)
📊 How Does 17098 Compare?
| Metric | 17098 | Williamstown | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Value | $134,303 | $134,303 | N/A | $278,018 |
| 5-Year CAGR | 5.4% | 5.4% | N/A | 6.3% |
| Avg Rent | $1,026 | $1,026 | N/A | - |
| Cap Rate | 6.0% | 6.0% | - | - |
Similar ZIPs Within 25 Miles
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Landlord Ground Truth
Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 17098 (Williamstown, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.
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Property managers serving Dauphin County
Manage rentals here? List your business →Harrisburg Property Management Group. summary from their website
Midtown Property Management. summary from their website
Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.
📊 Market Snapshot
| Home Value | $134,303 |
| Monthly Rent | $1,026 |
| Price-to-Rent | 10.9:1 |
| 1% Rule | ✗ Fails |
💰 Return Metrics
| Gross Yield | 9.2% |
| Cap Rate | 6.0% |
| 5-Year IRR | 11.3% |
📈 Home Appreciation
| 1-Year | -1.1% ▼ |
| 3-Year CAGR | +5.0% ▲ |
| 5-Year CAGR | +5.4% ▲ |
| 10-Year CAGR | +8.2% ▲ |
🏠 Rent Trends
| 1-Year | N/A |
| 3-Year CAGR | N/A |
| 5-Year CAGR | N/A |
The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (6.0%). 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.
Demographics in 17098
Population: 2,521
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Is house hacking profitable in Williamstown, PA?
House hacking in Williamstown, PA is reasonable to execute. Prices around $134K and rents of $1,026/mo solid owner-occupant economics.
Is real estate in Williamstown, PA a good investment right now?
Williamstown, PA scores 3.0/5 for investability. Home values sit at $134K and rents near $1,026/mo, which keeps the rent-to-price ratio in reasonable territory for buy-and-hold investors.
What is the renter demographic in Williamstown, PA?
Tenant quality in Williamstown, PA ranks as solid. Landlords generally report measured occupancy at market rents of $1,026/mo.
Do rentals sit vacant long in Williamstown, PA?
Expect elevated vacancy in Williamstown, PA. Rents at $1,026/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.
Are eviction rules reasonable in Williamstown, PA?
Williamstown, PA falls under PA landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.
You know 17098 now. You don’t know where it ranks.
This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 17098 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.
How 17098 ranks in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.
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