Real Estate Investing in Vancouver, Washington (98684)

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

Clark County • Population: 36,486 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 98684 (Vancouver, WA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (54/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 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
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.

What’s happening in Vancouver, WA (98684)?

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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 $489,947
Avg Monthly Rent $1,958
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $81,493
% Renters 45.6%

Market Analysis: 98684 Vancouver

This part of Clark County is not an easy win. The 98684 ZIP stands at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 98684 reports the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Within WA, ZIP 98684 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Clark County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and durable enough to shape underwriting.

A notable renter share of 46% in 98684 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

Strategically, 98684 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 Vancouver:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 60/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
14/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,958/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.
🏠

Property Strategy for 98684

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
4.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
5BR
+6.6% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$141,475/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $376,866 $2,140 4.1% +4.9% $188,433
3BR $454,280 $2,920 4.6% +5.3% $151,427
4BR $565,898 $3,460 4.4% +5.9% $141,475
5BR $710,423 +6.6% $142,085

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$523K$448K$373K$298K$223K$148KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,153$2,034$1,914$1,795$1,676$1,556Mar 2021Nov 2023Jul 2026

📊 How Does 98684 Compare?

Metric 98684 Vancouver Washington
Home Value $489,947 $509,726 $591,536
5-Year CAGR 2.6% 3.0% 5.9%
Avg Rent $1,958 $1,896 -
Cap Rate 3.1% 2.9% -
💡 Why Invest in 98684? 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 98684 (Vancouver, WA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Clark County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Blue Key Property Management offers expert property management services for single-family home rentals, duplexes, condos, and townhouses in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Dove Property Management provides full-service property management in Vancouver, WA, specializing in single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, plexes, and multi-family apartment communities. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Pac1 Realty, LLC is a commercial real estate firm in Southwest Washington offering agency leasing, tenant representation, sales, and property management services. summary from their website

Commercial
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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
3.1%
Low
5yr Growth
+2.6%
Slow

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $489,947
Monthly Rent $1,958
Price-to-Rent 20.9:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.8%
Cap Rate 3.1%
5-Year IRR 5.8%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +0.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +2.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -1.3% ▼
3-Year CAGR 0.0% ▼
5-Year CAGR +1.9% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.1%). 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
3.2%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+2.6%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 98684

Population: 36,486

💰 Median Household Income
$81,493
This area
$81,493
State
$83,286
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
45.6%
This area
45.6%
State
29.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.8%
This area
3.8%
State
-13.7%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
27.7%
This area
27.7%
State
10.6%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.7 years
This area
35.7 years
State
10.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
3.2%
This area
3.2%
State
14.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 70.3%
Other/Mixed 21.9%
Hispanic/Latino 10.7%
Asian 6.0%
Black/African American 1.7%
👶 Under 18
24.6%
This area
24.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.5%
This area
13.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.0%
This area
6.0%
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

🎓 Schools in 98684

A Avg School Grade
12 Schools
15.1:1 Avg Class Size
$27,331 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Fircrest Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
358 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hearthwood Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
362 Students
👨‍🏫
12.8:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Mill Plain Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
383 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Riverview Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
312 Students
👨‍🏫
13.8:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
A Very Good

Endeavour Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
451 Students
👨‍🏫
15.0:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
A Very Good

Harmony Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
486 Students
👨‍🏫
16.3:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
A Very Good

Hollingsworth Academy

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
90 Students
👨‍🏫
5.9:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Legacy High School

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
316 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Cascade Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
827 Students
👨‍🏫
18.8:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Pacific Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
833 Students
👨‍🏫
19.5:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
B Good

Evergreen High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,543 Students
👨‍🏫
20.0:1 Class Size
💰
$28,048 Per Student
B Good

Northwest Allprep

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
126 Students
💰
$19,444 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

8 Nearby 3,896 Off-Campus Students
C
Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus
130 students · 4.3 mi
C
Sumner College
514 students · 4.8 mi
C
International Air and Hospitality Academy
132 students · 6.0 mi
C+
Clark College
7,149 students · 6.5 mi
D
University of Western States
979 students · 7.2 mi
C
Multnomah University
532 students · 7.7 mi
D
Western Seminary
770 students · 9.3 mi
B
Warner Pacific University
350 students · 9.4 mi

Investor Insight: With 3,896 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are rental rates like in Vancouver, WA?

Rents in Vancouver, WA run near $1,958/mo. Compared with median home prices of $490K that produces solid gross yields for typical rentals.

How deep is the rental pool in Vancouver, WA?

Working renters make up the core of the Vancouver, WA tenant base. The pool is reasonable for investors targeting long-term holds.

What is the smart move for investors in Vancouver, WA?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Vancouver, WA. With home values at $490K and rents near $1,958/mo, other strategies can work but produce consistent rather than outsized returns.

Does house hacking work in Vancouver, WA?

For house hackers, Vancouver, WA is a challenging. The $1,958/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $490K property.

Are homes affordable in Vancouver, WA?

Typical homes in Vancouver, WA go for around $490K. The 5-year CAGR of 0.0% stable price movement.

You know 98684 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 98684 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 98684 ranks in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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