Real Estate Investing in East Saint Louis, Illinois (62205)

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

Saint Clair County • Population: 5,760 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 62205 (East Saint Louis, IL)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (66/100)

Mixed — values have been flat. OK for long-horizon buyers, less attractive if you may need to sell soon.

📈 For Investors
STRONG
4.0 / 5 (86/100)

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
4 flags
  • High vacancy: 38.9% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • Flat appreciation: Values have barely moved over 5 years (0.3% CAGR).
  • Elevated poverty: 24.3% poverty rate — can affect rent collection.
  • Higher unemployment: 9.1% unemployment — tenant risk signal.

ⓘ Read the numbers with care

  • Unusually high yield — the rent-to-price ratio here is beyond what typically survives underwriting. Verify against individual properties before relying on the cash-flow math.

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

What’s happening in East Saint Louis, IL (62205)?

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4.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

1.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

5.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $36,493
Avg Monthly Rent $1,053
1% Rule ✓ Meets
Median Income $43,371
% Renters 37.3%

Market Analysis: 62205 East Saint Louis

In East Saint Louis's 62205 ZIP, the arithmetic favors hands-on owners. Median home values posts $36K, leaving spread for capex-heavy BRRRR or reposition strategies.

ZIP 62205 favors investors with a contractor on speed dial. Meanwhile, the turnkey yield looks ordinary, a renovated unit pulls stronger rent than the unrenovated $1,053/mo average.

The an appealing option for piece of regional context is that nearby ZIPs with newer stock and higher basis have priced out of the value-add game. 62205 has not.

Put differently, incomes in 62205 sit below the county median, the tenant pool is deep and the demand for upgraded rental stock consistently outruns supply.

The strategy in 62205 is forced equity, not market equity. On the rental side, entry prices are accommodating at $36K, the returns sit in the renovation budget, not the holding period.

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 East Saint Louis:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 67/100
Affordability
25/25
Appreciation
10/25
Stability
9/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Affordable
Homes cost 0.8× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+13.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,053/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
30 days
Average time to sell
Fast
11.0%
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 St. Louis, MO-IL metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$38K$36K$34K$31K$29K$27KFeb 2016May 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 62205 Compare?

Metric 62205 East Saint Louis St. Louis, MO-IL Illinois
Home Value $36,493 $41,551 N/A $279,761
5-Year CAGR 0.3% N/A N/A 6.6%
Avg Rent $1,053 $963 N/A -
Cap Rate 22.5% 18.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 62205? Click to expand

This ZIP code meets the 1% rule with rent at $1,053/mo on homes averaging $36,493 — a strong indicator of cash flow potential.

Our analysis gives this area a 4/5 investability rating, placing it in the top tier for rental property potential.

A healthy rental market with 37% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 62205 (East Saint Louis, IL). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Excellent
Cap Rate
22.5%
Excellent
5yr Growth
+0.3%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $36,493
Monthly Rent $1,053
Price-to-Rent 2.9:1
1% Rule ✓ Passes

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 34.6%
Cap Rate 22.5%
5-Year IRR 22.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +13.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +0.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +0.3% ▲
10-Year CAGR +1.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Positive Leverage Market Cap Rate: 22.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage may enhance returns here.

The estimated cap rate (22.5%) exceeds the current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%). When borrowing costs less than a property yields, leverage can increase your cash-on-cash return above the cap rate.

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
38.9%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+0.3%
Flat
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 62205

Population: 5,760

💰 Median Household Income
$43,371
This area
$43,371
State
$75,721
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
37.3%
This area
37.3%
State
22.2%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
9.1%
This area
9.1%
State
-3.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
17.3%
This area
17.3%
State
16.4%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
52.3 years
This area
52.3 years
State
32.6 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
38.9%
This area
38.9%
State
11.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
Black/African American 95.9%
Asian 2.1%
White 1.5%
Other/Mixed 0.5%
👶 Under 18
12.9%
This area
12.9%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
27.0%
This area
27.0%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
24.3%
This area
24.3%
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 62205

A Avg School Grade
3 Schools
13.3:1 Avg Class Size
$27,942 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Annette Officer Elementary

📚 K – 04 Elementary
👥
331 Students
👨‍🏫
11.8:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 Per Student
A Very Good

East St Louis Senior High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,261 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 Per Student
C+ Average

Gordon Bush Alt Sch for Education

📚 05 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$27,942 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A+ Excellent

East St Louis-Lincoln Middle Sch

📚 05 – 08 School
📍 12 S 10th St, East Saint Louis
👥
400 Students
👨‍🏫
8.2:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 Per Student
A+ Excellent

James Avant Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 1915 N 55th St, Washington Pk
👥
329 Students
👨‍🏫
9.1:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Katie Harper-Wright Elem

📚 Pre-K – 04 Elementary
📍 7710 State St, East Saint Louis
👥
383 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Mason/Clark Middle Sch

📚 05 – 08 School
📍 5510 State St, East Saint Louis
👥
599 Students
👨‍🏫
10.9:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Wyvetter Younge Sch of Excellence

📚 K – 08 School
📍 3939 Caseyville Ave, E Saint Louis
👥
477 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$27,942 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
C+
Stevens-The Institute of Business & Arts
95 students · 5.1 mi
D
Ponce Health Sciences University-St Louis
119 students · 5.8 mi
C+
Harris-Stowe State University
1,098 students · 6.3 mi
B
Saint Louis University
17,202 students · 6.9 mi
C
Aquinas Institute of Theology
83 students · 7.0 mi
C
Ranken Technical College
1,696 students · 8.0 mi
C
Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing
499 students · 8.1 mi
C
St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis
108 students · 8.2 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a house cost in East Saint Louis, IL?

The median home value in East Saint Louis, IL is roughly $36K. That puts it reasonable relative to the IL statewide average.

Can I live-in-and-rent in East Saint Louis, IL?

East Saint Louis, IL is a an attractive market for house hackers. FHA or conventional owner-occupant buyers find the $36K price point reasonable to enter.

How well does BRRRR work in East Saint Louis, IL?

East Saint Louis, IL is a strong for BRRRR. Acquiring below market, rehabbing, and leasing at $1,053/mo produces solid refinance appraisals against $36K values.

What is the typical rental rate in East Saint Louis, IL?

Expect rents around $1,053/mo per month in East Saint Louis, IL. With home values at $36K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

What strategy should investors use in East Saint Louis, IL?

In East Saint Louis, IL the healthy play is typically value-add and BRRRR deals. The combination of $36K prices and $1,053/mo rents suits that approach.

You know 62205 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 62205 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 62205 ranks in St. Louis, MO-IL

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable → 1% Rule →
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