Real Estate Investing in Baytown, Texas (77520)

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

Harris County • Population: 35,724 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 77520 (Baytown, TX)? 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 (52/100)

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
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 11.2% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Baytown, TX (77520)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $173,905
Avg Monthly Rent $1,221
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $53,226
% Renters 43.3%

Market Analysis: 77520 Baytown

Not every below-median market is a bargain. Baytown's 77520 ZIP shows signals that favor experienced operators who can absorb the risk $174K pricing implies.

The 77520 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

From a cash-flow lens, 77520 offers a low basis, the region around Baytown has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

Employment concentration in 77520 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

New investors are better served looking at Baytown's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 77520. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

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 Baytown:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 72/100
Affordability
20/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.3× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,221/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
79 days
Average time to sell
Slow
9.2%
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 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 77520

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
9.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+5.3% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$60,841/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $81,868 $1,120 9.8% +3.4% $81,868
2BR $122,737 $1,330 7.8% +3.9% $61,368
3BR $182,523 $1,790 7.1% +4.4% $60,841
4BR $246,332 $2,230 6.5% +4.8% $61,583
5BR $308,511 +5.3% $61,702

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$195K$167K$140K$113K$86K$59KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,316$1,282$1,248$1,214$1,180$1,145May 2022Jun 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 77520 Compare?

Metric 77520 Baytown Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Texas
Home Value $173,905 $269,889 N/A $297,000
5-Year CAGR 2.1% 2.7% N/A 5.4%
Avg Rent $1,221 $1,637 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.5% 4.9% - -
💡 Why Invest in 77520? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 43% 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 77520 (Baytown, TX). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Harris County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

SBB Community Management provides Texas HOA management services, including financial management, property maintenance, and technology solutions, serving Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston since 1974. summary from their website

HOACommercial
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

KPM Property Management offers end-to-end solutions including pre-acquisition due diligence, on-site property management, and development of townhomes in the Houston area. summary from their website

Small multifamily
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SBB Community Management provides Texas HOA management services for homeowners associations, condominium associations, and master-planned communities across Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston. summary from their website

HOACommercial
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

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
5.5%
Fair
5yr Growth
+2.1%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $173,905
Monthly Rent $1,221
Price-to-Rent 11.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.4%
Cap Rate 5.5%
5-Year IRR 7.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR -0.8% ▼
5-Year CAGR +2.1% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -6.2% ▼
3-Year CAGR -0.1% ▼
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.5%). 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
11.2%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+2.1%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 77520

Population: 35,724

💰 Median Household Income
$53,226
This area
$53,226
State
$70,593
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
43.3%
This area
43.3%
State
29.5%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
4.8%
This area
4.8%
State
-25.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
11.2%
This area
11.2%
State
-5.8%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
37.4 years
This area
37.4 years
State
-3.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
11.2%
This area
11.2%
State
18.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 55.7%
Other/Mixed 32.6%
Hispanic/Latino 30.6%
Black/African American 10.6%
Asian 1.1%
👶 Under 18
26.1%
This area
26.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.4%
This area
13.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
16.4%
This area
16.4%
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 77520

B+ Avg School Grade
15 Schools
15.0:1 Avg Class Size
$17,371 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

ASHBEL SMITH EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
554 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A+ Excellent

HORACE MANN J H

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
766 Students
👨‍🏫
13.7:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A+ Excellent

JAMES BOWIE EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
602 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A+ Excellent

LAMAR EL

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
508 Students
👨‍🏫
13.1:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A+ Excellent

SAN JACINTO EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
562 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A Very Good

BAYTOWN J H

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
711 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A Very Good

CARVER EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
593 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A Very Good

DE ZAVALA EL

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
589 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
A Very Good

TRAVIS EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
765 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
B+ Above Average

CEDAR BAYOU J H

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
907 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
B+ Above Average

LEE H S

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,802 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
B+ Above Average

PETER E HYLAND CENTER

📚 10 – 12 High School
👥
108 Students
👨‍🏫
6.7:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
B Good

IMPACT EARLY COLLEGE H S

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
418 Students
👨‍🏫
22.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,790 Per Student
C+ Average

BROOKESMITH QUEST

📚 08 – 11 High School Limited Data
💰
$19,340 Per Student
C Below Average

BOB HOPE EL SCHOOL-BAYTOWN

📚 Pre-K – 02 Elementary Charter
👥
271 Students
👨‍🏫
20.8:1 Class Size
💰
$9,960 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

6 Nearby 30,979 Off-Campus Students
C
Lee College
8,143 students · 1.8 mi
C+
San Jacinto Community College
31,494 students · 8.9 mi
D
Texas Chiropractic College Foundation Inc
267 students · 10.5 mi
C+
University of Houston-Clear Lake
8,211 students · 12.6 mi
D
Interactive College of Technology
62 students · 13.2 mi
C
Houston Training School-Main Campus
220 students · 14.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 30,979 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should investors worry about vacancy in Baytown, TX?

Vacancy in Baytown, TX is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $1,221/mo.

What are home prices like in Baytown, TX?

Median home price in Baytown, TX is near $174K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been steady and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

Which real estate strategy fits Baytown, TX?

The best-fit strategy in Baytown, TX is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

Is TX a landlord-friendly state?

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

What is the average monthly rent in Baytown, TX?

Rent in Baytown, TX is around $1,221/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $174K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

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How 77520 ranks in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX

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Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable → 1% Rule →
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