Real Estate Investing in Vermilion, Ohio (44089)

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

Erie County • Population: 15,873 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 44089 (Vermilion, OH)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (60/100)

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

📈 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: 14.5% 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 Vermilion, OH (44089)?

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

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $275,567
Avg Monthly Rent $1,215
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $71,781
% Renters 19.7%

Market Analysis: 44089 Vermilion

ZIP 44089 in Vermilion, OH carries a sturdy set of headwinds. Home values near $276K and rents of $1,215/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

For an experienced owner, 44089 can be a a strong candidate for hunting ground — but the discount at $276K reflects genuine risk that outside investors often underestimate.

Within OH, ZIP 44089 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Erie County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and healthy enough to shape underwriting.

Resident income in 44089 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. healthy returns are possible in 44089, 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 Vermilion:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 69/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.8× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.7%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,215/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
Sandusky, OH Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
8.1%
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 Sandusky, OH metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 44089

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
4.9% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+8.4% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$84,025/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $161,838 $1,090 4.8% +8.2% $161,838
2BR $225,423 $1,350 4.3% +7.7% $112,712
3BR $252,074 $1,710 4.9% +8.4% $84,025
4BR $337,410 $1,880 4.0% +8.2% $84,353
5BR $426,872 +8.0% $85,374

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$288K$253K$218K$183K$148K$113KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 44089 Compare?

Metric 44089 Vermilion Sandusky, OH Ohio
Home Value $275,567 $275,567 N/A $237,530
5-Year CAGR 6.8% 6.8% N/A 7.4%
Avg Rent $1,215 $1,215 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.4% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 44089? 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 44089 (Vermilion, OH). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 44089 (Vermilion, OH)?

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

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.8%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Sandusky, OH metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
51%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $275,567
Monthly Rent $1,215
Price-to-Rent 18.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.3%
Cap Rate 3.4%
5-Year IRR 10.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.7% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.4%). 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
14.5%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.8%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 44089

Population: 15,873

💰 Median Household Income
$71,781
This area
$71,781
State
$68,496
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
19.7%
This area
19.7%
State
25.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.8%
This area
2.8%
State
-9.1%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
28.2%
This area
28.2%
State
8.4%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
49.2 years
This area
49.2 years
State
19.6 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
14.5%
This area
14.5%
State
11.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 95.7%
Other/Mixed 3.0%
Hispanic/Latino 1.8%
Asian 1.0%
Black/African American 0.3%
👶 Under 18
18.1%
This area
18.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
24.3%
This area
24.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
3.1%
This area
3.1%
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 44089

B Avg School Grade
4 Schools
18.9:1 Avg Class Size
$14,778 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Vermilion Digital Academy

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
11 Students
👨‍🏫
11.0:1 Class Size
💰
$14,778 Per Student
B Good

Sailorway Middle School

📚 04 – 07 School
👥
521 Students
👨‍🏫
19.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,778 Per Student
B Good

Vermilion High School

📚 08 – 12 High School
👥
617 Students
👨‍🏫
20.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,778 Per Student
B Good

Vermilion Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 03 Elementary
👥
516 Students
👨‍🏫
24.6:1 Class Size
💰
$14,778 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

6 Nearby 1,514 Off-Campus Students
B
Oberlin College
2,976 students · 10.2 mi
C
Northern Institute of Cosmetology
41 students · 11.2 mi
C+
Lorain County Joint Vocational School District
108 students · 11.8 mi
D
Bowling Green State University-Firelands
1,928 students · 11.9 mi
D
Ross Medical Education Center-Elyria
58 students · 13.5 mi
C+
EHOVE Career Center
375 students · 14.3 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,514 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do home prices stand in Vermilion, OH?

In Vermilion, OH the median home value sits at $276K. Against the broader OH market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Vermilion, OH?

Vermilion, OH draws a predictable base of working renters. Demand at the $1,215/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

How strong are rents in Vermilion, OH?

Vermilion, OH rentals go for roughly $1,215/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $276K acquisition costs.

What does house hacking look like in Vermilion, OH?

Vermilion, OH is a a challenging market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $276K price point reasonable to enter.

Which investment style suits Vermilion, OH?

For Vermilion, OH, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

You know 44089 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 44089 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

How 44089 ranks in Sandusky, OH

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 44089 (Vermilion)

Loading...

Community Ratings

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

Be the first to rate 44089 (Vermilion, OH).

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