Real Estate Investing in Spray, Oregon (97874)

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

Wheeler County • Population: 351 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 97874 (Spray, OR)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
WEAK FIT
Grade F (26/100)

Multiple negative signals. Better options likely exist nearby.

📈 For Investors
WEAK
2.0 / 5 (33/100)

Structural challenges here. The numbers may look cheap but operational risk is high. Only for experienced, hands-on investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 33.2% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 36.5 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Spray, OR (97874)?

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2.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $382,190
Avg Monthly Rent $873
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $41,875
% Renters 38.4%

Market Analysis: 97874 Spray

This part of Wheeler County is not an easy win. The 97874 ZIP sits at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 97874 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

In practical terms, 97874 offers a low basis, the region around Spray has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

Who lives in 97874 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

appears to 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 Spray:

D Needs Caution
Buy Confidence Score: 44/100
Affordability
0/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 9.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.7%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $873/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$402K$358K$314K$270K$227K$183KJan 2015Oct 2020Jul 2026

📊 How Does 97874 Compare?

Metric 97874 Spray Oregon
Home Value $382,190 $393,307 $493,884
5-Year CAGR 3.0% 2.4% 4.9%
Avg Rent $873 $891 -
Cap Rate 1.8% 1.8% -
💡 Why Invest in 97874? Click to expand

A healthy rental market with 38% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 97874 (Spray, OR). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Fair
Cap Rate
1.8%
Low
5yr Growth
+3.0%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $382,190
Monthly Rent $873
Price-to-Rent 36.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 2.7%
Cap Rate 1.8%
5-Year IRR 4.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.7% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +3.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 1.8%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (1.8%). 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
33.2%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+3.0%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 97874

Population: 351

💰 Median Household Income
$41,875
This area
$41,875
State
$71,325
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
38.4%
This area
38.4%
State
28.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.0%
This area
2.0%
State
-6.1%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.5%
This area
15.5%
State
13.8%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
52.0 years
This area
52.0 years
State
31.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
33.2%
This area
33.2%
State
17.2%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 88.8%
Other/Mixed 8.5%
Hispanic/Latino 3.0%
Asian 2.7%
👶 Under 18
20.5%
This area
20.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
31.1%
This area
31.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
3.2%
This area
3.2%
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 97874

A Avg School Grade
1 Schools
7.5:1 Avg Class Size
$26,836 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Spray School

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
60 Students
👨‍🏫
7.5:1 Class Size
💰
$26,836 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong are rents in Spray, OR?

Spray, OR rentals go for roughly $873/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $382K acquisition costs.

Is rental property easy to operate in Spray, OR?

Spray, OR falls under OR landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

Which investment style suits Spray, OR?

For Spray, OR, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

Do rentals sit vacant long in Spray, OR?

Spray, OR sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader OR rental market.

How strong is tenant demand in Spray, OR?

The renter base in Spray, OR is reasonable for the $873/mo price point. Screening well and pricing to market typically yields predictable tenants.

You know 97874 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 97874 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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