Real Estate Investing in Sugar Creek, Wisconsin (53121)

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

Walworth County • Population: 18,640 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 53121 (Sugar Creek, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (58/100)

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
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.4% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Sugar Creek, WI (53121)?

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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 $403,574
Avg Monthly Rent $1,545
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $82,308
% Renters 27.1%

Market Analysis: 53121 Sugar Creek

ZIP 53121 in Sugar Creek, WI carries a solid set of headwinds. Home values near $404K and rents of $1,545/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

The 53121 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

Within WI, ZIP 53121 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Walworth County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and significant enough to shape underwriting.

Employment concentration in 53121 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

Strategically, 53121 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Sugar Creek:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.9× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,545/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
Whitewater, WI Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.4%
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 Whitewater, WI metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 53121

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
4BR
2.9% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+8.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$115,304/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $287,153 $1,130 2.8% +8.1% $143,576
3BR $380,019 $1,420 2.7% +8.0% $126,673
4BR $461,216 $1,830 2.9% +7.5% $115,304

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$423K$368K$313K$258K$203K$148KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

No data available

📊 How Does 53121 Compare?

Metric 53121 Sugar Creek Whitewater, WI Wisconsin
Home Value $403,574 $403,574 N/A $320,446
5-Year CAGR 5.0% 5.0% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,545 $1,545 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.0% 3.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 53121? 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 →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 53121 (Sugar Creek, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Walworth County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

MPC Property Management offers a wide range of property management services for residential, commercial, and association properties in Wisconsin. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamilyCommercialHOA
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BK Property Management LLC offers landscaping services in Delavan, WI. summary from their website

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Lakes Property Management, LLC appears to offer property management services based on the domain and name, though homepage content is technical. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.0%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Whitewater, WI metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
44%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $403,574
Monthly Rent $1,545
Price-to-Rent 21.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.6%
Cap Rate 3.0%
5-Year IRR 8.0%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.0%). 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
10.4%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.0%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 53121

Population: 18,640

💰 Median Household Income
$82,308
This area
$82,308
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
27.1%
This area
27.1%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.0%
This area
1.0%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
30.2%
This area
30.2%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
44.1 years
This area
44.1 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.4%
This area
10.4%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 89.4%
Other/Mixed 9.4%
Hispanic/Latino 7.1%
Black/African American 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
👶 Under 18
19.7%
This area
19.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
20.1%
This area
20.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
3.5%
This area
3.5%
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 53121

B Avg School Grade
8 Schools
17.7:1 Avg Class Size
$13,995 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

West Side Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
431 Students
👨‍🏫
11.9:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Tibbets Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
447 Students
👨‍🏫
14.9:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Elkhorn Area High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
941 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
B Good

Elkhorn Area Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
676 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
B Good

Jackson Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
500 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
C Below Average

Elkhorn Options Virtual School

📚 Pre-K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
273 Students
👨‍🏫
24.1:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
C Below Average

Career and College Academy

📚 06 – 12 High School Charter
👥
230 Students
👨‍🏫
26.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,995 Per Student
C Below Average

Lakeland School

📚 Pre-K – 12 K-12 Limited Data
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 506 Off-Campus Students
C+
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
11,519 students · 13.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 506 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much rent can I charge in Sugar Creek, WI?

Rents in Sugar Creek, WI run near $1,545/mo. Compared with median home prices of $404K that produces solid gross yields for typical rentals.

How qualified is the tenant pool in Sugar Creek, WI?

Expect a solid tenant pool in Sugar Creek, WI. The rental market absorbs $1,545/mo rents without meaningful friction.

Does Sugar Creek, WI make sense for an investment property?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Sugar Creek, WI ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $404K and rents of $1,545/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Do landlords face vacancy issues in Sugar Creek, WI?

Expect elevated vacancy in Sugar Creek, WI. Rents at $1,545/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

Is Sugar Creek, WI a friendly market for rental owners?

Sugar Creek, WI falls under WI landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

You know 53121 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 53121 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 53121 ranks in Whitewater, WI

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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