Real Estate Investing in Fort Ashby, West Virginia (26719)

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

Mineral County • Population: 2,020 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 26719 (Fort Ashby, WV)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (48/100)

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
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 18.6% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 27.0 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Fort Ashby, WV (26719)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $253,992
Avg Monthly Rent $783
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $49,698
% Renters 25.2%

Market Analysis: 26719 Fort Ashby

From an investor standpoint, ZIP 26719 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $254K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

The investment case in 26719 is healthy only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $254K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

Regionally, 26719 sits on the difficult end of the WV spectrum. The a solid fit for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Resident income in 26719 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 26719 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

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 Fort Ashby:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 60/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $783/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
Cumberland, MD-WV Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
10.0%
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 Cumberland, MD-WV metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 26719

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
3.4% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+7.4% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$83,912/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $186,842 $870 3.4% +6.3% $93,421
3BR $257,661 $1,150 3.2% +7.4% $85,887
4BR $335,648 $1,260 2.7% +7.0% $83,912

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$267K$244K$221K$198K$175K$152KFeb 2019Nov 2022Jul 2026

📊 How Does 26719 Compare?

Metric 26719 Fort Ashby Cumberland, MD-WV West Virginia
Home Value $253,992 $253,992 N/A $169,372
5-Year CAGR 5.8% 5.8% N/A 6.1%
Avg Rent $783 $783 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.4% 2.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 26719? 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 26719 (Fort Ashby, WV). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.8%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $253,992
Monthly Rent $783
Price-to-Rent 27.0:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.7%
Cap Rate 2.4%
5-Year IRR 8.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.8% ▲
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: 2.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.4%). 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
18.6%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.8%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 26719

Population: 2,020

💰 Median Household Income
$49,698
This area
$49,698
State
$53,950
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
25.2%
This area
25.2%
State
19.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.8%
This area
2.8%
State
-19.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
20.6%
This area
20.6%
State
-9.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.6 years
This area
47.6 years
State
-3.8 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
18.6%
This area
18.6%
State
23.5%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 97.6%
Hispanic/Latino 1.1%
Other/Mixed 1.1%
Asian 0.9%
Black/African American 0.3%
👶 Under 18
11.3%
This area
11.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
30.6%
This area
30.6%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
1.9%
This area
1.9%
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 26719

B+ Avg School Grade
2 Schools
14.9:1 Avg Class Size
$14,376 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Frankfort Intermediate School

📚 Pre-K – 04 Elementary
👥
284 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,376 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Fort Ashby Primary School

📚 Pre-K – 02 Elementary
👥
226 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,376 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 875 Off-Campus Students
C+
Allegany College of Maryland
2,665 students · 10.9 mi
C
Potomac State College of West Virginia University
1,143 students · 12.1 mi
B
Mineral County Vocational Technical Center
14 students · 12.7 mi
C+
Frostburg State University
4,075 students · 13.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 875 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is house hacking profitable in Fort Ashby, WV?

House hacking works a challenging in Fort Ashby, WV. Rents of $783/mo against $254K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

How strong is tenant demand in Fort Ashby, WV?

Fort Ashby, WV draws a predictable base of working renters. Demand at the $783/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

How high is vacancy risk in Fort Ashby, WV?

Fort Ashby, WV carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect steady absorption at market rents of $783/mo.

Is Fort Ashby, WV landlord-friendly?

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

Is Fort Ashby, WV a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Our data puts Fort Ashby, WV at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $254K and rents around $783/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

You know 26719 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 26719 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 26719 ranks in Cumberland, MD-WV

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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