Real Estate Investing in Abilene, Texas (79606)

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

Taylor County • Population: 29,428 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 79606 (Abilene, TX)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (78/100)

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
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Abilene, TX (79606)?

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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 $307,933
Avg Monthly Rent $2,218
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $73,381
% Renters 46.1%

Market Analysis: 79606 Abilene

On balance, ZIP 79606 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $308K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Rent of $2,218/mo on a $308K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 79606 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

From a cash-flow lens, 79606 offers a low basis, the region around Abilene has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

A robust renter share of 46% in 79606 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

Strategically, 79606 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Abilene:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 73/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.2× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+10.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $2,218/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
Abilene, TX Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
34 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.1%
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 Abilene, TX metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 79606

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
5.0% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+7.5% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$83,791/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $214,362 $1,360 4.6% +6.1% $107,181
3BR $251,373 $1,760 5.0% +6.1% $83,791
4BR $373,665 $2,120 4.1% +5.9% $93,416
5BR $567,436 +7.5% $113,487

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$320K$286K$251K$217K$183K$149KJan 2009Oct 2017Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,338$2,053$1,769$1,484$1,199$915Jun 2016Jul 2021Jul 2026

📊 How Does 79606 Compare?

Metric 79606 Abilene Abilene, TX Texas
Home Value $307,933 $141,154 N/A $297,000
5-Year CAGR 5.7% 6.0% N/A 5.4%
Avg Rent $2,218 $2,094 N/A -
Cap Rate 5.6% 7.5% - -
💡 Why Invest in 79606? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 46% 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 79606 (Abilene, TX). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
5.6%
Fair
5yr Growth
+5.7%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Abilene, TX metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
38%
Days Pending
0/2
34 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $307,933
Monthly Rent $2,218
Price-to-Rent 11.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 8.6%
Cap Rate 5.6%
5-Year IRR 11.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +10.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +26.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +14.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +10.4% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 5.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (5.6%). 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
7.1%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 79606

Population: 29,428

💰 Median Household Income
$73,381
This area
$73,381
State
$70,593
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
46.1%
This area
46.1%
State
29.5%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.1%
This area
1.1%
State
-25.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
36.9%
This area
36.9%
State
-5.8%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
33.2 years
This area
33.2 years
State
-3.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.1%
This area
7.1%
State
18.3%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 77.8%
Other/Mixed 11.6%
Hispanic/Latino 9.9%
Black/African American 6.7%
Asian 3.8%
👶 Under 18
24.0%
This area
24.0%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
14.7%
This area
14.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
4.9%
This area
4.9%
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 79606

B Avg School Grade
7 Schools
15.3:1 Avg Class Size
$11,707 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

WARD EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
473 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,351 Per Student
B+ Above Average

BASSETTI EL

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
542 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$14,351 Per Student
B Good

WYLIE WEST EL

📚 K – 02 Elementary
👥
623 Students
👨‍🏫
14.7:1 Class Size
💰
$10,649 Per Student
B Good

WYLIE WEST INT

📚 03 – 04 Elementary
👥
465 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$10,649 Per Student
C+ Average

WYLIE WEST EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
184 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$10,649 Per Student
C+ Average

WYLIE WEST J H

📚 05 – 08 School
👥
989 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$10,649 Per Student
C+ Average

WYLIE H S

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,517 Students
👨‍🏫
15.3:1 Class Size
💰
$10,649 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

5 Nearby
D
Neecee's Barber College
33 students · 6.0 mi
C
McMurry University
2,549 students · 7.1 mi
C
Texas College of Cosmetology-Abilene
74 students · 8.2 mi
D
Hardin-Simmons University
1,655 students · 10.1 mi
C+
Abilene Christian University
5,114 students · 10.6 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

How viable is house hacking in Abilene, TX?

House hacking in Abilene, TX is a challenging. With home values around $308K and rents at $2,218/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

How do experienced investors play Abilene, TX?

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

What are home prices like in Abilene, TX?

Median home price in Abilene, TX is near $308K, with a 5-year CAGR of 0.0%. Prices have been steady and supportive of buy-and-hold strategies.

Is Abilene, TX a good place for real estate investing?

Abilene, TX clocks in at an investability rating of 3.0/5, with median home values near $308K and average rents around $2,218/mo. That combination puts it in the solid tier for investor interest.

Does Abilene, TX favor landlords or tenants?

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

You know 79606 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 79606 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 79606 ranks in Abilene, TX

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