Real Estate Investing in Charles City, Virginia (23030)

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

Charles City County • Population: 4,385 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 23030 (Charles City, VA)? 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: 12.3% 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 Charles City, VA (23030)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
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 $279,323
Avg Monthly Rent $1,386
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $67,404
% Renters 15.7%

Market Analysis: 23030 Charles City

ZIP 23030 in Charles City, VA carries a robust set of headwinds. Home values near $279K and rents of $1,386/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Rent of $1,386/mo on a $279K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 23030 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

ZIP 23030's metrics run below Charles City County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Who lives in 23030 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

Strategically, 23030 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Charles City:

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 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.4%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,386/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
Richmond, VA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
31 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.4%
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 Richmond, VA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 23030

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
6.0% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+6.2% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$93,036/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $186,071 $1,540 6.0% +4.4% $93,036
3BR $284,476 $1,950 4.9% +6.2% $94,825
4BR $376,033 $2,410 4.6% +5.4% $94,008

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$293K$261K$230K$198K$167K$135KJul 2009Jan 2018Jul 2026

📊 How Does 23030 Compare?

Metric 23030 Charles City Richmond, VA Virginia
Home Value $279,323 $279,323 N/A $403,170
5-Year CAGR 3.7% 3.7% N/A 6.4%
Avg Rent $1,386 $1,386 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.9% 3.9% - -
💡 Why Invest in 23030? 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.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 23030 (Charles City, VA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 23030 (Charles City, VA)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.9%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.7%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Richmond, VA metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
29%
Days Pending
0/2
31 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $279,323
Monthly Rent $1,386
Price-to-Rent 16.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.0%
Cap Rate 3.9%
5-Year IRR 7.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.4% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.9%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.9%). 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
12.3%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 23030

Population: 4,385

💰 Median Household Income
$67,404
This area
$67,404
State
$80,295
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
15.7%
This area
15.7%
State
25.7%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.0%
This area
2.0%
State
-18.5%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
16.2%
This area
16.2%
State
4.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
52.3 years
This area
52.3 years
State
9.9 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
12.3%
This area
12.3%
State
16.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 45.9%
Black/African American 45.2%
Other/Mixed 8.7%
Hispanic/Latino 1.5%
Asian 0.2%
👶 Under 18
13.5%
This area
13.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
26.3%
This area
26.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
9.2%
This area
9.2%
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

🎓 Schools in 23030

A+ Avg School Grade
2 Schools
9.3:1 Avg Class Size
$20,951 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Charles City County High

📚 07 – 12 High School
👥
215 Students
👨‍🏫
6.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,951 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Charles City County Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
315 Students
👨‍🏫
12.6:1 Class Size
💰
$20,951 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 Charles City, VA suited for a house hack?

For house hackers, Charles City, VA is a challenging. The $1,386/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $279K property.

Is Charles City, VA a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Our data puts Charles City, VA at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $279K and rents around $1,386/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

Are renters plentiful in Charles City, VA?

Charles City, VA draws a stable base of working renters. Demand at the $1,386/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

How much rent can I charge in Charles City, VA?

Charles City, VA rentals go for roughly $1,386/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $279K acquisition costs.

Is housing expensive in Charles City, VA?

Charles City, VA median home values land near $279K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,386/mo-per-month rentals.

You know 23030 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 23030 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.

Compare Plans

How 23030 ranks in Richmond, VA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 23030 (Charles City)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 23030 (Charles City, VA).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.