Youngstown is home to the best residential real estate investment market in Ohio.
The 44502 zip code in Youngstown presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 5,644 individual real estate markets in Ohio we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
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Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
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5 best places to invest in Ohio
| Rank | City | InvestScore | Affordability | Property value appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Youngstown | 100 | 1.7 | 62% |
| 2 | Akron | 94.4 | 2.1 | 47% |
| 3 | Girard | 94.1 | 2.2 | 53% |
| 4 | Toledo | 93.6 | 1.6 | 42% |
| 5 | Struthers | 90.1 | 2.3 | 69% |
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in Ohio.
1. Youngstown
We've identified the 44502 zip code in Youngstown as Ohio's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Youngstown (44502)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 5,644 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $53,298[1] | 2nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 62%[2] | 9th highest |
| Household income | $31,170[3] | 501st highest |
| Affordability ratio | 1.7 | 9th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 2.4%[4] | 80th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9%[5] | 10th lowest |
| Property taxes | $544[6] | lowest |
| Educational attainment | 9.6%[7] | 313th highest |
Youngstown (zip code 44502) is the best residential real estate investment market in Ohio. It has the 9th highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 62% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Youngstown is the 9th most affordable market among the 5,644 Ohio markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 1.7.
2. Akron
The 44314 zip code in Akron is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in Ohio.
🔎 Key data about Akron (44314)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 5,644 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 94.4 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $101,908[1] | 42nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 47%[2] | 48th highest |
| Household income | $47,468[3] | 448th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.1 | 31st most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 3.4%[4] | 52nd highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,490[6] | 77th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 12%[7] | 294th highest |
The 44314 zip code in Akron features a typical property value of $101,908, the 42nd lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 47% over the past five years, the 48th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Akron homes have an affordability ratio of 2.1, the 31st most affordable in the state.
3. Girard
The 44420 zip code in Girard comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in Ohio.
🔎 Key data about Girard (44420)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 5,644 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 94.1 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $137,698[1] | 82nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 53%[2] | 21st highest |
| Household income | $61,707[3] | 343rd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.2 | 40th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 1.5%[4] | 134th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9%[5] | 10th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,592[6] | 95th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 20%[7] | 229th highest |
With a typical property value of $137,698, Girard's 44420 zip code features the 82nd lowest property values in the state.
Girard homes have an affordability ratio of 2.2, the 40th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Toledo
The 43609 zip code in Toledo ranks No. 4 among Ohio's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Toledo (43609)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 5,644 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 93.6 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $67,574[1] | 5th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 42%[2] | 142nd highest |
| Household income | $42,313[3] | 142nd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 1.6 | 4th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 4.4%[4] | 27th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6%[5] | 8th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,096[6] | 16th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 12%[7] | 299th highest |
Property values in Toledo's 43609 zip code have seen the 142nd highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 42% over the past five years.
Toledo's affordability ratio of 1.6 makes it the 4th most affordable among the 5,644 markets we evaluated.
5. Struthers
The 44471 zip code in Struthers rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in Ohio.
🔎 Key data about Struthers (44471)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 5,644 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 90.1 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $126,872[1] | 63rd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 69%[2] | 3rd highest |
| Household income | $54,571[3] | 3rd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.3 | 51st most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | -0.01%[4] | 289th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9%[5] | 10th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,327[6] | 47th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 17%[7] | 256th highest |
Property values in Struthers's 44471 zip code rose 69% over the last five years, ranking the city 3rd highest among evaluated markets in Ohio.
Struthers homes have an affordability ratio of 2.3, the 51st most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
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Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in Ohio.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in Ohio
To determine the best real estate investments in Ohio we evaluated 5,644 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in Ohio.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
