Is San Bernardino County, CA good for real estate investing?

San Bernardino County has an investment score of 43/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #680 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in San Bernardino?

The rent-to-price ratio in San Bernardino County is 5.33% annually, which ranks in the 35th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in San Bernardino?

The median home price in San Bernardino County is $541,771. This ranks #929 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in San Bernardino?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in San Bernardino County would generate negative cash flow of $1,276/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

San Bernardino County

CaliforniaPopulation: 2,180,563Riverside, CA Metro

/100

Avoid

#680 of 1,000 counties

#25 in California (58 counties)

Market Snapshot

$541,771

Median Home Price

132% above national median

$2,407/mo

Median Rent

59% above national median

5.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 65% nationally

-$1,276

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$541,771

Down Payment (20%)$108,354

Loan Amount$433,417

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,407

Monthly P&I-$2,840

Est. Expenses (35%)-$843

Net Cash Flow-$1,276/mo

3.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-12.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.5% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

43/100

Cash Flow(30%)

50/100

Based on 5.33% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

39/100

Based on -2.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

30/100

Price-to-income ratio of 7.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (5.33%)
-Declining home values (-2.2% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,276/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

2,180,563

Median Income

$77,423

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

7.0x

Less affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
MonoCA	44	$724,996	Est. pending	—	Avoid	View
CurrentSan BernardinoCA	43	$541,771	$2,407	5.33%	Avoid
San JoaquinCA	43	$523,017	$2,356	5.41%	Avoid	View
PlacerCA	43	$670,919	$2,593	4.64%	Avoid	View
RiversideCA	42	$598,126	$2,554	5.12%	Avoid	View
SacramentoCA	42	$518,553	$2,149	4.97%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidSan Bernardino may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

San Bernardino County in California scores 43/100, ranking #680 of 1,000 US counties (top 90%). The 5.33% rent-to-price ratio may require creative strategies or below-market purchases for positive cash flow. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,276/mo

Cap Rate

3.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-12.3%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in San Bernardino?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$541,771

Down Payment (20%)$108,354

Loan Amount$433,417

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,407

Monthly P&I-$2,840

Est. Expenses (35%)-$843

Net Cash Flow-$1,276/mo

3.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-12.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.5% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

43/100

Cash Flow(30%)

50/100

Based on 5.33% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

39/100

Based on -2.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

30/100

Price-to-income ratio of 7.0x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

MonoCA

$724,996

Est. pending

—

Avoid

View

CurrentSan BernardinoCA

$541,771

$2,407

5.33%

Avoid

San JoaquinCA

$523,017

$2,356

5.41%

Avoid

View

PlacerCA

$670,919

$2,593

4.64%

Avoid

View

RiversideCA

$598,126

$2,554

5.12%

Avoid

View

SacramentoCA

$518,553

$2,149

4.97%

Avoid

View

The Bottom Line

AvoidSan Bernardino may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,276/mo

Cap Rate

3.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-12.3%