Real Estate Investing in Falls City, Oregon (97344)

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

Polk County • Population: 1,464 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 97344 (Falls City, OR)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (61/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 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
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

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

What’s happening in Falls City, OR (97344)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $364,368
Avg Monthly Rent $1,260
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $50,179
% Renters 29.2%

Market Analysis: 97344 Falls City

Investors eyeing 97344 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $364K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 97344 posts the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Within OR, ZIP 97344 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Polk County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and impressive enough to shape underwriting.

On balance, 1,464 residents fill the ZIP, renter turnover runs higher than neighboring postal codes and delinquency risk is a real line item rather than a theoretical one.

leans 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 Falls City:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 55/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+3.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,260/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Salem, OR Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
51 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.7%
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 Salem, OR metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 97344

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
3.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+7.9% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$123,576/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $310,925 $1,400 3.2% +7.6% $155,463
3BR $370,728 $1,940 3.8% +7.9% $123,576

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$389K$332K$274K$217K$159K$102KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 97344 Compare?

Metric 97344 Falls City Salem, OR Oregon
Home Value $364,368 $364,368 N/A $493,884
5-Year CAGR 4.2% 4.2% N/A 4.9%
Avg Rent $1,260 $1,260 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.7% 2.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 97344? Click to expand

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

📊 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 97344 (Falls City, OR). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.2%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Salem, OR metro

1/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
41%
Days Pending
1/2
51 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $364,368
Monthly Rent $1,260
Price-to-Rent 24.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.2%
Cap Rate 2.7%
5-Year IRR 6.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +3.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.7%). 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
2.6%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 97344

Population: 1,464

💰 Median Household Income
$50,179
This area
$50,179
State
$71,325
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
29.2%
This area
29.2%
State
28.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
6.4%
This area
6.4%
State
-6.1%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.5%
This area
15.5%
State
13.8%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.2 years
This area
35.2 years
State
31.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
2.6%
This area
2.6%
State
17.2%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 86.3%
Other/Mixed 13.2%
Hispanic/Latino 6.5%
Asian 0.4%
👶 Under 18
18.4%
This area
18.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.9%
This area
13.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
10.8%
This area
10.8%
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

🎓 Schools in 97344

A+ Avg School Grade
2 Schools
9.0:1 Avg Class Size
$31,050 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Falls City Elementary School

📚 K – 08 School
👥
118 Students
👨‍🏫
9.4:1 Class Size
💰
$31,050 Per Student
A Very Good

Falls City High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
60 Students
👨‍🏫
8.6:1 Class Size
💰
$31,050 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

1 Nearby 389 Off-Campus Students
C
Western Oregon University
3,857 students · 11.2 mi

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Falls City, OR favor landlords or tenants?

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

Are rents high in Falls City, OR?

Expect rents around $1,260/mo per month in Falls City, OR. With home values at $364K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

How strong is the working-renter base in Falls City, OR?

Expect a solid tenant pool in Falls City, OR. The rental market absorbs $1,260/mo rents without meaningful friction.

Should investors consider Falls City, OR?

Falls City, OR scores 3.0/5 for investability. Home values sit at $364K and rents near $1,260/mo, which keeps the rent-to-price ratio in reasonable territory for buy-and-hold investors.

Is housing expensive in Falls City, OR?

The median home value in Falls City, OR is roughly $364K. That puts it reasonable relative to the OR statewide average.

You know 97344 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 97344 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 97344 ranks in Salem, OR

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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