Real Estate Investing in Brownsville, Kentucky (42210)

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

Edmonson County • Population: 4,201 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 42210 (Brownsville, KY)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (52/100)

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: 16.9% 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 Brownsville, KY (42210)?

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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 $196,954
Avg Monthly Rent $954
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $42,702
% Renters 20.7%

Market Analysis: 42210 Brownsville

ZIP 42210 inside Edmonson County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $197K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

Rent of $954/mo on a $197K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 42210 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

Regionally, 42210 sits on the difficult end of the KY spectrum. The a credible choice for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Employment concentration in 42210 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

looks to 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 Brownsville:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.6× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $954/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Bowling Green, KY Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
98 days
Average time to sell
Slow
8.7%
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 Bowling Green, KY metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 42210

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.2% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+10.2% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$72,631/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $147,870 $1,060 5.2% +10.2% $73,935
3BR $217,894 $1,280 4.2% +9.7% $72,631
4BR $300,925 $1,620 3.9% +8.9% $75,231

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$212K$182K$153K$123K$94K$64KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 42210 Compare?

Metric 42210 Brownsville Bowling Green, KY Kentucky
Home Value $196,954 $196,954 N/A $225,788
5-Year CAGR 5.9% 5.9% N/A 6.9%
Avg Rent $954 $954 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.8% 3.8% - -
💡 Why Invest in 42210? 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 42210 (Brownsville, KY). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.8%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.9%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Bowling Green, KY metro

4/10
Moderate Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
69%
Days Pending
2/2
98 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $196,954
Monthly Rent $954
Price-to-Rent 17.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.8%
Cap Rate 3.8%
5-Year IRR 9.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.8%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.8%). 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
16.9%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.9%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 42210

Population: 4,201

💰 Median Household Income
$42,702
This area
$42,702
State
$55,541
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
20.7%
This area
20.7%
State
23.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
5.1%
This area
5.1%
State
-16.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
13.1%
This area
13.1%
State
-4.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.7 years
This area
47.7 years
State
4.8 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
16.9%
This area
16.9%
State
16.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.9%
Other/Mixed 4.0%
Hispanic/Latino 2.1%
👶 Under 18
18.9%
This area
18.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
26.9%
This area
26.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
12.5%
This area
12.5%
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 42210

B+ Avg School Grade
3 Schools
15.4:1 Avg Class Size
$14,343 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Edmonson County 5/6 Center

📚 05 – 06 School
👥
241 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,343 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Edmonson County Middle School

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
260 Students
👨‍🏫
14.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,343 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Edmonson County High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
576 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,343 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

What is the average home sale price in Brownsville, KY?

Typical homes in Brownsville, KY go for around $197K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% steady price movement.

Is Brownsville, KY better for rentals, flips, or BRRRR?

Brownsville, KY investors pursuing careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The underlying economics ($197K prices, $954/mo rents) make it a reasonable choice.

What is the typical vacancy rate in Brownsville, KY?

Occupancy in Brownsville, KY runs reliable with elevated vacancy. Well-priced units at $954/mo lease on reasonable timelines.

Is Brownsville, KY suited for a house hack?

For house hackers, Brownsville, KY is a challenging. The $954/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $197K property.

Is Brownsville, KY landlord-friendly?

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

You know 42210 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 42210 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 42210 ranks in Bowling Green, KY

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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