Real Estate Investing in McRae, Arkansas (72102)

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

White County • Population: 2,508 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 72102 (McRae, AR)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (66/100)

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: 8.6% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

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

What’s happening in McRae, AR (72102)?

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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 $185,294
Avg Monthly Rent $792
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $56,204
% Renters 17.8%

Market Analysis: 72102 McRae

Put differently, ZIP 72102 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $185K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 72102 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

The gap between 72102 and stronger McRae ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

The 72102 ZIP's population of 2,508 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that reports the need for careful underwriting.

trends toward the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

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 McRae:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 70/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+8.5%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $792/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
Searcy, AR Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
7.6%
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 Searcy, AR metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$198K$177K$155K$134K$112K$91KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 72102 Compare?

Metric 72102 McRae Searcy, AR Arkansas
Home Value $185,294 $185,294 N/A $216,341
5-Year CAGR 5.6% 5.6% N/A 5.7%
Avg Rent $792 $792 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.3% 3.3% - -
💡 Why Invest in 72102? 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 72102 (McRae, AR). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.3%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.6%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Searcy, AR metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
65%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $185,294
Monthly Rent $792
Price-to-Rent 19.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.1%
Cap Rate 3.3%
5-Year IRR 8.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +8.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.3%). 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
8.6%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.6%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 72102

Population: 2,508

💰 Median Household Income
$56,204
This area
$56,204
State
$52,981
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
17.8%
This area
17.8%
State
24.2%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.7%
This area
0.7%
State
-21.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
20.2%
This area
20.2%
State
-9.2%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
54.8 years
This area
54.8 years
State
3.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
8.6%
This area
8.6%
State
22.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 90.8%
Other/Mixed 6.7%
Hispanic/Latino 4.5%
Black/African American 2.4%
Asian 0.1%
👶 Under 18
15.2%
This area
15.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.7%
This area
21.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
7.0%
This area
7.0%
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

3 Nearby 361 Off-Campus Students
C+
Arkansas State University-Beebe
3,010 students · 6.0 mi
D
Searcy Beauty College
87 students · 8.5 mi
C+
Harding University
4,608 students · 9.3 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Does McRae, AR favor landlords or tenants?

Rental owners in McRae, AR deal with a landlord-friendly legal framework. Most standard eviction processes run on reasonable timelines.

What is the tenant pool like in McRae, AR?

The tenant pool in McRae, AR is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $792/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

What price range are homes in McRae, AR?

The median home value in McRae, AR is roughly $185K. That puts it reasonable relative to the AR statewide average.

How viable is house hacking in McRae, AR?

The house hack math a challenging in McRae, AR. Owner-occupant buyers benefit from the $792/mo rents and $185K home values.

How strong is McRae, AR for real estate investors?

McRae, AR rates 3.0/5 for investability. With median values at $185K and rents near $792/mo, the market offers reasonable fundamentals for rental investors.

You know 72102 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 72102 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 72102 ranks in Searcy, AR

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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