Real Estate Investing in Dalton, Minnesota (56324)

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

Otter Tail County • Population: 1,116 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 56324 (Dalton, MN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (56/100)

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
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 28.3% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 32.1 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Dalton, MN (56324)?

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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 $335,938
Avg Monthly Rent $873
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $76,667
% Renters 8.3%

Market Analysis: 56324 Dalton

Investors eyeing 56324 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $336K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $336K asset, 56324 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

The gap between 56324 and stronger Dalton ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Who lives in 56324 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

The 56324 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 Dalton:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 65/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+11.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $873/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
Fergus Falls, MN Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.2%
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 Fergus Falls, MN metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$352K$306K$261K$216K$171K$125KJan 2012May 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 56324 Compare?

Metric 56324 Dalton Fergus Falls, MN Minnesota
Home Value $335,938 $335,938 N/A $340,597
5-Year CAGR 5.9% 5.9% N/A 4.9%
Avg Rent $873 $873 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.0% 2.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 56324? Click to expand

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

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 56324 (Dalton, MN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.9%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Fergus Falls, MN metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
59%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $335,938
Monthly Rent $873
Price-to-Rent 32.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.1%
Cap Rate 2.0%
5-Year IRR 7.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +11.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.0%). 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
28.3%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
3.0/5
Balanced
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.9%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 56324

Population: 1,116

💰 Median Household Income
$76,667
This area
$76,667
State
$77,168
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
8.3%
This area
8.3%
State
18.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.5%
This area
2.5%
State
-3.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
21.8%
This area
21.8%
State
20.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
47.7 years
This area
47.7 years
State
37.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
28.3%
This area
28.3%
State
17.0%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 94.9%
Other/Mixed 4.9%
Hispanic/Latino 0.4%
Black/African American 0.2%
Asian 0.1%
👶 Under 18
20.5%
This area
20.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
20.1%
This area
20.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
3.8%
This area
3.8%
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

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

1 Nearby 2,669 Off-Campus Students
C+
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
5,414 students · 12.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 2,669 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 Dalton, MN?

Expect rents around $873/mo per month in Dalton, MN. With home values at $336K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

What kind of tenants rent in Dalton, MN?

Dalton, MN draws a measured base of working renters. Demand at the $873/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

Is Dalton, MN a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Yes - Dalton, MN a 3.0/5 investability score. With $336K home prices against $873/mo monthly rent, the market delivers a reasonable entry point for new investors.

How should investors approach Dalton, MN?

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

How high is vacancy risk in Dalton, MN?

Expect elevated vacancy in Dalton, MN. Rents at $873/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

You know 56324 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 56324 ranks in Fergus Falls, MN

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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