Real Estate Investing in Madisonville, Kentucky (42431)

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

Hopkins County • Population: 27,095 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 42431 (Madisonville, KY)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (72/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 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
  • High vacancy: 12.2% 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 Madisonville, KY (42431)?

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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 $158,229
Avg Monthly Rent $828
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $54,437
% Renters 35.1%

Market Analysis: 42431 Madisonville

Not every below-median market is a bargain. Madisonville's 42431 ZIP reflects signals that favor experienced operators who can absorb the risk $158K pricing implies.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 42431 records the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Statewide comparisons place 42431 among KY's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

A durable renter share of 35% in 42431 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

New investors are better served looking at Madisonville's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 42431. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

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 Madisonville:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 76/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 2.9× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (0.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $828/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
Madisonville, KY Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
11.1%
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 Madisonville, KY metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 42431

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+9.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$57,308/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $114,617 $920 5.8% +9.1% $57,308
3BR $195,347 $1,190 4.4% +8.3% $65,116
4BR $282,586 $1,360 3.5% +6.8% $70,647
5BR $363,470 +6.5% $72,694

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$171K$152K$132K$113K$93K$74KMar 2006May 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 42431 Compare?

Metric 42431 Madisonville Madisonville, KY Kentucky
Home Value $158,229 $158,229 N/A $225,788
5-Year CAGR 6.4% 6.4% N/A 6.9%
Avg Rent $828 $828 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.1% 4.1% - -
💡 Why Invest in 42431? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 35% 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 42431 (Madisonville, KY). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.1%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.4%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Madisonville, KY metro

3/10
Moderate Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
3/3
80%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $158,229
Monthly Rent $828
Price-to-Rent 15.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.3%
Cap Rate 4.1%
5-Year IRR 10.5%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year 0.0% ▼
3-Year CAGR +3.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.1%). 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
12.2%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.4%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 42431

Population: 27,095

💰 Median Household Income
$54,437
This area
$54,437
State
$55,541
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
35.1%
This area
35.1%
State
23.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.8%
This area
4.8%
State
-16.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
18.1%
This area
18.1%
State
-4.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
38.2 years
This area
38.2 years
State
4.8 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
12.2%
This area
12.2%
State
16.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 83.8%
Black/African American 9.0%
Other/Mixed 6.3%
Hispanic/Latino 1.0%
Asian 1.0%
👶 Under 18
24.6%
This area
24.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.7%
This area
18.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
15.5%
This area
15.5%
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 42431

B Avg School Grade
14 Schools
14.5:1 Avg Class Size
$13,966 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Browning Springs Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
462 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Grapevine Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
313 Students
👨‍🏫
13.0:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Pride Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
379 Students
👨‍🏫
14.6:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B Good

James Madison Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
483 Students
👨‍🏫
17.7:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B Good

Jesse Stuart Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
477 Students
👨‍🏫
17.0:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B Good

West Broadway Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
460 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B Good

Hopkins County Central High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
868 Students
👨‍🏫
15.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
B Good

Madisonville North Hopkins High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,076 Students
👨‍🏫
16.7:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
C+ Average

Hopkins County Day Treatment

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
20 Students
👨‍🏫
4.4:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
C+ Average

Hopkins Co Career & Technology Center

📚 09 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$13,966 Per Student
C+ Average

Hopkins County Schools Academy

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
55 Students
👨‍🏫
15.7:1 Class Size
💰
$13,966 Per Student
C+ Average

Kentucky TECH - Madisonville Reg Tech Ct

📚 Grade UG Elementary Limited Data
💰
$13,966 Per Student
C+ Average

Madisonville Health Technology Center

📚 Grade UG Elementary Limited Data
💰
$13,966 Per Student
C+ Average

Madisonville Technical College

📚 Grade UG Elementary Limited Data
💰
$13,966 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 2,188 Off-Campus Students
C+
Madisonville Community College
3,535 students · 2.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,188 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What investment strategy works best in Madisonville, KY?

In Madisonville, KY the notable play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $158K prices and $828/mo rents suits that approach.

Is the tenant base reliable in Madisonville, KY?

The renter base in Madisonville, KY is reasonable for the $828/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields predictable tenants.

What price range are homes in Madisonville, KY?

The median home value in Madisonville, KY is roughly $158K. That puts it reasonable relative to the KY statewide average.

Is Madisonville, KY good for landlords?

Madisonville, KY falls under KY landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

What are rental rates like in Madisonville, KY?

Average rent in Madisonville, KY is approximately $828/mo per month. Against $158K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

You know 42431 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 42431 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 42431 ranks in Madisonville, KY

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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