Real Estate Investing in Lake City, Florida (32025)

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

Columbia County • Population: 23,268 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 32025 (Lake City, FL)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (62/100)

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

📈 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
  • Elevated vacancy: 9.5% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Lake City, FL (32025)?

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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 $233,282
Avg Monthly Rent $1,400
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $51,081
% Renters 43.5%

Market Analysis: 32025 Lake City

The 32025 ZIP covers a section of Lake City that demands careful diligence. Prices near $233K look accessible, but the work to make a deal cash flow is real.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $233K asset, 32025 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

The gap between 32025 and stronger Lake City ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Who lives in 32025 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

leans the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

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 Lake City:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.6× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+0.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,400/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
Lake City, FL Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.6%
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 Lake City, FL metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 32025

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+8.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$73,133/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $172,547 $1,360 5.7% +8.5% $86,273
3BR $231,756 $1,630 5.1% +8.8% $77,252
4BR $292,531 $1,800 4.4% +7.9% $73,133

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$250K$216K$181K$147K$113K$78KJun 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,544$1,513$1,482$1,450$1,419$1,388Jun 2025Jan 2026Jul 2026

📊 How Does 32025 Compare?

Metric 32025 Lake City Lake City, FL Florida
Home Value $233,282 $260,172 N/A $374,697
5-Year CAGR 6.1% 5.7% N/A 7.4%
Avg Rent $1,400 $1,433 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.7% 4.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 32025? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 44% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 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 32025 (Lake City, FL). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.7%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.1%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Lake City, FL metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
74%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $233,282
Monthly Rent $1,400
Price-to-Rent 13.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.2%
Cap Rate 4.7%
5-Year IRR 10.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +0.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.8% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -1.6% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.7%). 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
9.5%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.1%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 32025

Population: 23,268

💰 Median Household Income
$51,081
This area
$51,081
State
$70,737
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
43.5%
This area
43.5%
State
29.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.2%
This area
2.2%
State
-18.0%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
16.1%
This area
16.1%
State
4.7%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
38.6 years
This area
38.6 years
State
16.0 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
9.5%
This area
9.5%
State
17.2%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 69.7%
Black/African American 20.4%
Other/Mixed 9.4%
Hispanic/Latino 5.7%
Asian 0.5%
👶 Under 18
19.7%
This area
19.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
16.9%
This area
16.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
10.1%
This area
10.1%
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 32025

B Avg School Grade
6 Schools
18.3:1 Avg Class Size
$11,370 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B Good

MELROSE PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
388 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$11,370 Per Student
B Good

RICHARDSON SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY

📚 Grade 06 Middle
👥
420 Students
👨‍🏫
16.5:1 Class Size
💰
$11,370 Per Student
B Good

SUMMERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
531 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$11,370 Per Student
B Good

EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
664 Students
👨‍🏫
18.4:1 Class Size
💰
$11,370 Per Student
C+ Average

LAKE CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
941 Students
👨‍🏫
19.5:1 Class Size
💰
$11,370 Per Student
C Below Average

COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,727 Students
👨‍🏫
22.6:1 Class Size
💰
$11,370 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 1,078 Off-Campus Students
C+
Florida Gateway College
2,837 students · 4.3 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,078 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lake City, FL a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Our data puts Lake City, FL at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $233K and rents around $1,400/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

How much is rent in Lake City, FL?

Lake City, FL rentals go for roughly $1,400/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $233K acquisition costs.

How strong is tenant demand in Lake City, FL?

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

What type of investing works in Lake City, FL?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Lake City, FL best. The market produces steady results for that approach at the $233K price point.

What is the typical vacancy rate in Lake City, FL?

Lake City, FL vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

You know 32025 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 32025 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 32025 ranks in Lake City, FL

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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