Real Estate Investing in Benton, Pennsylvania (17814)

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

Columbia County • Population: 4,806 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 17814 (Benton, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (53/100)

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: 28.1% 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 Benton, PA (17814)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $249,417
Avg Monthly Rent $1,089
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $61,094
% Renters 16.1%

Market Analysis: 17814 Benton

This part of Columbia County is not an easy win. The 17814 ZIP posts softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

For an experienced owner, 17814 can be a worth a close look for hunting ground — but the discount at $249K reflects genuine risk that outside investors often underestimate.

Regionally, 17814 sits on the difficult end of the PA spectrum. The a solid fit for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Who lives in 17814 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

New investors are better served looking at Benton's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 17814. 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 Benton:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 61/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,089/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
10.3%
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 Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$268K$238K$209K$179K$150K$120KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 17814 Compare?

Metric 17814 Benton Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $249,417 $249,417 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 3.2% 3.2% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,089 $1,089 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.4% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 17814? 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 17814 (Benton, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.2%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $249,417
Monthly Rent $1,089
Price-to-Rent 19.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.2%
Cap Rate 3.4%
5-Year IRR 6.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲

🏠 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
28.1%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 17814

Population: 4,806

💰 Median Household Income
$61,094
This area
$61,094
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
16.1%
This area
16.1%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.4%
This area
3.4%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
16.1%
This area
16.1%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.4 years
This area
47.4 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
28.1%
This area
28.1%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 91.7%
Other/Mixed 5.2%
Black/African American 2.7%
Hispanic/Latino 2.3%
Asian 0.4%
👶 Under 18
16.3%
This area
16.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
23.1%
This area
23.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
8.1%
This area
8.1%
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 17814

A+ Avg School Grade
3 Schools
12.5:1 Avg Class Size
$22,320 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

L R Appleman El Sch

📚 K – 06 School
👥
307 Students
👨‍🏫
9.8:1 Class Size
💰
$22,320 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Benton Area HS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
202 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$22,320 Per Student
A Very Good

Benton Area MS

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
113 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$22,320 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Benton, PA a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Our data puts Benton, PA at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $249K and rents around $1,089/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

How strong is the working-renter base in Benton, PA?

Tenant demand in Benton, PA is solid. The local workforce $1,089/mo rents across most rental classes.

How much do tenants pay in Benton, PA?

Rent in Benton, PA is around $1,089/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $249K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

What is it like being a landlord in Benton, PA?

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

How quickly do rentals get leased in Benton, PA?

Benton, PA carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect stable absorption at market rents of $1,089/mo.

You know 17814 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 17814 ranks in Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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