Real Estate Investing in Ashland, Pennsylvania (17921)

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

Schuylkill County • Population: 7,029 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 17921 (Ashland, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (75/100)

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

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

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: 18.1% 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 Ashland, PA (17921)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $130,785
Avg Monthly Rent $873
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $67,842
% Renters 19.2%

Market Analysis: 17921 Ashland

This part of Schuylkill County is not an easy win. The 17921 ZIP comes in at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

The 17921 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

On the rental side, 17921 offers a low basis, the region around Ashland has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

The 17921 ZIP's population of 7,029 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that reflects the need for careful underwriting.

The right play in 17921 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 Ashland:

B+ Great
Buy Confidence Score: 79/100
Affordability
25/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 1.9× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+10.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $873/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This area shows favorable conditions for homebuyers. Solid fundamentals with reasonable affordability.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Pottsville, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
36 days
Average time to sell
Average
7.8%
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 Pottsville, PA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 17921

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
7.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+11.3% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$40,160/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $100,049 $970 7.0% +11.3% $50,024
3BR $122,383 $1,270 7.5% +9.3% $40,794
4BR $160,640 $1,360 6.1% +8.6% $40,160

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$138K$121K$104K$86K$69K$51KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 17921 Compare?

Metric 17921 Ashland Pottsville, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $130,785 $130,785 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 6.9% 6.9% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $873 $873 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.2% 5.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 17921? 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 17921 (Ashland, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.2%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.9%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Pottsville, PA metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
47%
Days Pending
0/2
36 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $130,785
Monthly Rent $873
Price-to-Rent 12.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.0%
Cap Rate 5.2%
5-Year IRR 12.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +10.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +8.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.2%). 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
18.1%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.9%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 17921

Population: 7,029

💰 Median Household Income
$67,842
This area
$67,842
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
19.2%
This area
19.2%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.6%
This area
1.6%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
12.1%
This area
12.1%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
45.8 years
This area
45.8 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
18.1%
This area
18.1%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 82.9%
Black/African American 11.7%
Other/Mixed 4.9%
Hispanic/Latino 1.0%
Asian 0.5%
👶 Under 18
11.5%
This area
11.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.0%
This area
18.0%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
0.4%
This area
0.4%
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 17921

B+ Avg School Grade
2 Schools
15.4:1 Avg Class Size
$16,448 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

North Schuylkill El Sch

📚 K – 06 School
👥
1,066 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$16,448 Per Student
B+ Above Average

North Schuylkill JSHS

📚 07 – 12 High School
👥
993 Students
👨‍🏫
16.4:1 Class Size
💰
$16,448 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 411 Off-Campus Students
C
Schuylkill Technology Center
74 students · 6.9 mi
C
Empire Beauty School-Pottsville
56 students · 9.5 mi
C
Joseph F McCloskey School of Nursing
55 students · 10.1 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill
650 students · 12.7 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median home value in Ashland, PA?

Typical homes in Ashland, PA go for around $131K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% stable price movement.

What type of investing works in Ashland, PA?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Ashland, PA best. The market produces predictable results for that approach at the $131K price point.

What are vacancy rates like in Ashland, PA?

Vacancy in Ashland, PA is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $873/mo.

Is Ashland, PA suited for a house hack?

For house hackers, Ashland, PA is a challenging. The $873/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $131K property.

What is the renter demographic in Ashland, PA?

Tenant quality in Ashland, PA ranks as solid. Landlords generally report measured occupancy at market rents of $873/mo.

You know 17921 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 17921 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 17921 ranks in Pottsville, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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