Real Estate Investing in Friendsville, Maryland (21531)

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

Garrett County • Population: 2,346 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 21531 (Friendsville, MD)? 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: 23.9% 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 Friendsville, MD (21531)?

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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 $225,574
Avg Monthly Rent $873
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $56,250
% Renters 18.9%

Market Analysis: 21531 Friendsville

This part of Garrett County is not an easy win. The 21531 ZIP clocks in at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 21531 stands at the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

The gap between 21531 and stronger Friendsville ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Demographically, 21531 is a market where tenant selection matters more than unit finishes. Operators who understand that tend to do fine; those who do not tend to learn why the ZIP trades at a discount.

New investors are better served looking at Friendsville's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 21531. 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 Friendsville:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 63/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.7%)
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: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$236K$211K$185K$160K$134K$109KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 21531 Compare?

Metric 21531 Friendsville Maryland
Home Value $225,574 $225,574 $424,997
5-Year CAGR 3.5% 3.5% 4.9%
Avg Rent $873 $873 -
Cap Rate 3.0% 3.0% -
💡 Why Invest in 21531? 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 21531 (Friendsville, MD). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.5%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $225,574
Monthly Rent $873
Price-to-Rent 21.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.6%
Cap Rate 3.0%
5-Year IRR 6.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.7% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.0%). 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.

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⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
23.9%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.5%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 21531

Population: 2,346

💰 Median Household Income
$56,250
This area
$56,250
State
$107,932
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
18.9%
This area
18.9%
State
23.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.8%
This area
0.8%
State
-20.0%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.4%
This area
15.4%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
49.5 years
This area
49.5 years
State
1.9 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
23.9%
This area
23.9%
State
11.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 97.0%
Other/Mixed 2.2%
Hispanic/Latino 1.1%
Black/African American 0.6%
👶 Under 18
15.1%
This area
15.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
22.8%
This area
22.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.8%
This area
5.8%
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 21531

A Avg School Grade
1 Schools
12.2:1 Avg Class Size
$30,061 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Friendsville Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
129 Students
👨‍🏫
12.2:1 Class Size
💰
$30,061 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

1 Nearby 109 Off-Campus Students
C
Garrett College
701 students · 7.4 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

What are home prices like in Friendsville, MD?

Median home price in Friendsville, MD is near $226K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been reliable and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

What monthly rent should investors expect in Friendsville, MD?

Rental rates in Friendsville, MD average $873/mo. Tenant demand and $226K home values make the yield look reasonable by investor standards.

Are there empty rentals in Friendsville, MD?

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

What is it like being a landlord in Friendsville, MD?

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

How strong is tenant demand in Friendsville, MD?

Friendsville, MD draws a steady base of working renters. Demand at the $873/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

You know 21531 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 21531 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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