Real Estate Investing in Camden, West Virginia (26338)

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

Lewis County • Population: 592 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 26338 (Camden, WV)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (65/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

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

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 30.2% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • Higher unemployment: 7.0% unemployment — tenant risk signal.

• 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 Camden, WV (26338)?

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

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $135,586
Avg Monthly Rent $792
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $95,179
% Renters 19.9%

Market Analysis: 26338 Camden

Turning to rents, ZIP 26338 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $136K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Rent of $792/mo on a $136K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 26338 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

Regionally, 26338 sits on the difficult end of the WV spectrum. The a viable market for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

On balance, 592 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. impressive returns are possible in 26338, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

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 Camden:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 69/100
Affordability
25/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 1.4× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-0.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $792/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)

$150K$139K$128K$116K$105K$94KFeb 2019Nov 2022Jul 2026

📊 How Does 26338 Compare?

Metric 26338 Camden West Virginia
Home Value $135,586 $135,586 $169,372
5-Year CAGR 2.4% 2.4% 6.1%
Avg Rent $792 $792 -
Cap Rate 4.6% 4.6% -
💡 Why Invest in 26338? 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 26338 (Camden, WV). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 26338 (Camden, WV)?

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

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.6%
Fair
5yr Growth
+2.4%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $135,586
Monthly Rent $792
Price-to-Rent 14.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.0%
Cap Rate 4.6%
5-Year IRR 6.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -0.8% ▼
3-Year CAGR +0.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +2.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR N/A

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.6%). 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
30.2%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+2.4%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 26338

Population: 592

💰 Median Household Income
$95,179
This area
$95,179
State
$53,950
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
19.9%
This area
19.9%
State
19.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
7.0%
This area
7.0%
State
-19.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
2.7%
This area
2.7%
State
-9.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
48.5 years
This area
48.5 years
State
-3.8 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
30.2%
This area
30.2%
State
23.5%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.1%
Other/Mixed 4.9%
Hispanic/Latino 4.1%
👶 Under 18
17.3%
This area
17.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
19.5%
This area
19.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
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

1 Nearby
D
Salem University
894 students · 14.3 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How expensive is real estate in Camden, WV?

Typical homes in Camden, WV go for around $136K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% predictable price movement.

How strong is the working-renter base in Camden, WV?

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

What monthly rent should investors expect in Camden, WV?

Rent in Camden, WV is around $792/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $136K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

Does house hacking make sense in Camden, WV?

House hacking in Camden, WV is a challenging. With home values around $136K and rents at $792/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

What investment strategy works best in Camden, WV?

The best-fit strategy in Camden, WV is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

You know 26338 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 26338 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
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 26338 (Camden)

Loading...

Community Ratings

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

Be the first to rate 26338 (Camden, WV).

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