Real Estate Investing in Walnut Bottom, Pennsylvania (17266)

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

Cumberland County • Population: 455 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 17266 (Walnut Bottom, 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.

• 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 Walnut Bottom, PA (17266)?

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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 $263,344
Avg Monthly Rent $990
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $60,625
% Renters 30.4%

Market Analysis: 17266 Walnut Bottom

The 17266 ZIP in Walnut Bottom, PA is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $263K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 17266 stands at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Statewide comparisons place 17266 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 17266 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

The 17266 ZIP fits a narrow investor profile — hands-on, patient, and willing to accept that the cap rate on paper is not the cap rate in reality.

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 Walnut Bottom:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 67/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $990/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
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
21 days
Average time to sell
Fast
11.6%
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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$273K$245K$216K$187K$159K$130KJan 2013Oct 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 17266 Compare?

Metric 17266 Walnut Bottom Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $263,344 $263,344 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 6.9% 6.9% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $990 $990 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.9% 2.9% - -
💡 Why Invest in 17266? 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 17266 (Walnut Bottom, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.9%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.9%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $263,344
Monthly Rent $990
Price-to-Rent 22.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.5%
Cap Rate 2.9%
5-Year IRR 9.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.9% ▲
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: 2.9%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.9%). 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
1.9%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.9%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 17266

Population: 455

💰 Median Household Income
$60,625
This area
$60,625
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
30.4%
This area
30.4%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.5%
This area
1.5%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
16.0%
This area
16.0%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
40.5 years
This area
40.5 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
1.9%
This area
1.9%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 98.5%
Other/Mixed 1.5%
👶 Under 18
15.4%
This area
15.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
27.5%
This area
27.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
4.2%
This area
4.2%
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

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

3 Nearby 860 Off-Campus Students
C+
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
5,184 students · 6.2 mi
C
Triangle Tech-Chambersburg
63 students · 13.7 mi
B
Dickinson College
2,217 students · 13.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 860 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are rental rates like in Walnut Bottom, PA?

Average rent in Walnut Bottom, PA is approximately $990/mo per month. Against $263K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

Are tenants stable in Walnut Bottom, PA?

Working renters make up the core of the Walnut Bottom, PA tenant base. The pool is reasonable for investors targeting long-term holds.

What is the rental occupancy rate in Walnut Bottom, PA?

Walnut Bottom, PA vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Is Walnut Bottom, PA good for landlords?

For rental operators, Walnut Bottom, PA rates as landlord-friendly. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

What is the best play in Walnut Bottom, PA?

For Walnut Bottom, PA, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

You know 17266 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 17266 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 17266 ranks in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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