Real Estate Investing in Racine, Wisconsin (53403)

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

Racine County • Population: 26,696 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 53403 (Racine, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (75/100)

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
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.7% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Racine, WI (53403)?

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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 $218,470
Avg Monthly Rent $1,448
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $55,811
% Renters 45.3%

Market Analysis: 53403 Racine

The 53403 ZIP in Racine, WI is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $218K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

The investment case in 53403 is solid only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $218K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

In the broader WI picture, 53403 is a reminder that not every low-priced ZIP is a value-add opportunity — some are simply distressed, and the difference matters.

Resident income in 53403 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

The 53403 ZIP fits a narrow investor profile — hands-on, patient, and willing to accept that the cap rate on paper is not the cap rate in reality.

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 Racine:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 74/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.9× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,448/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
Racine, WI Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
8.8%
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 Racine, WI metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 53403

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
5.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+9.7% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$44,624/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $189,183 $1,310 5.0% +9.7% $94,591
3BR $221,768 $1,750 5.7% +9.2% $73,923
4BR $260,493 $2,000 5.5% +8.4% $65,123
5BR $223,122 $44,624

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$229K$198K$168K$137K$106K$75KAug 2008Aug 2017Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,541$1,434$1,327$1,221$1,114$1,008Jan 2024May 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 53403 Compare?

Metric 53403 Racine Racine, WI Wisconsin
Home Value $218,470 $219,931 N/A $320,446
5-Year CAGR 7.7% 8.2% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,448 $1,269 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.2% 4.5% - -
💡 Why Invest in 53403? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 45% 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 53403 (Racine, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.2%
Fair
5yr Growth
+7.7%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Racine, WI metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
29%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $218,470
Monthly Rent $1,448
Price-to-Rent 12.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.0%
Cap Rate 5.2%
5-Year IRR 12.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +8.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +11.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.2%). 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
10.7%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.7%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 53403

Population: 26,696

💰 Median Household Income
$55,811
This area
$55,811
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
45.3%
This area
45.3%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.1%
This area
3.1%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
22.7%
This area
22.7%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
37.1 years
This area
37.1 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.7%
This area
10.7%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 50.2%
Black/African American 29.1%
Other/Mixed 19.7%
Hispanic/Latino 14.9%
Asian 1.0%
👶 Under 18
25.6%
This area
25.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.7%
This area
13.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
14.5%
This area
14.5%
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 53403

B+ Avg School Grade
6 Schools
13.1:1 Avg Class Size
$19,548 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Bull Early Education Center

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
339 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Mitchell School

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
1,093 Students
👨‍🏫
10.2:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Park High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,150 Students
👨‍🏫
12.7:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
B Good

Racine County Detention Center

📚 01 – 12 K-12
👥
25 Students
👨‍🏫
8.3:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
B Good

All District 4 Year Old Kindergarten

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
136 Students
👨‍🏫
19.4:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
C Below Average

Racine County Jail

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
9 Students
💰
$19,548 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

Fratt Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 3501 Kinzie Ave, Racine
👥
449 Students
👨‍🏫
10.2:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Johnson Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 2420 Kentucky St, Racine
👥
530 Students
👨‍🏫
12.5:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Knapp Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
📍 2701 17th St, Racine
👥
448 Students
👨‍🏫
12.4:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Starbuck - An IB World School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 1516 Ohio St, Racine
👥
497 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 Per Student
A Very Good

Walden III High

📚 06 – 12 High School
📍 2340 Mohr Ave, Racine
👥
723 Students
👨‍🏫
15.9:1 Class Size
💰
$19,548 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

8 Nearby 5,231 Off-Campus Students
C
Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Racine
47 students · 1.7 mi
C+
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
4,008 students · 3.1 mi
D
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Flex
143 students · 3.2 mi
C+
Carthage College
2,771 students · 4.5 mi
C+
Gateway Technical College
10,134 students · 5.7 mi
D
Herzing University-Kenosha
545 students · 7.2 mi
C
The Salon Professional Academy-Kenosha
95 students · 9.0 mi
C+
Shepherds College
91 students · 12.0 mi

Investor Insight: With 5,231 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of vacancy should I budget for in Racine, WI?

Expect elevated vacancy in Racine, WI. Rents at $1,448/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

How does Racine, WI stack up for property investment?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Racine, WI ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $218K and rents of $1,448/mo drive the underlying numbers.

What is the average home sale price in Racine, WI?

Racine, WI median home values land near $218K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,448/mo-per-month rentals.

Is Racine, WI landlord-friendly?

Landlord-friendliness in Racine, WI is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

What is the tenant pool like in Racine, WI?

Racine, WI draws a measured base of working renters. Demand at the $1,448/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

You know 53403 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 53403 ranks in Racine, WI

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Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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