Is Tuolumne County, CA good for real estate investing?

Tuolumne County has an investment score of 42/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #689 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Tuolumne?

The rent-to-price ratio in Tuolumne County is 4.71% annually, which ranks in the 21th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Tuolumne?

The median home price in Tuolumne County is $388,488. This ranks #823 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Tuolumne?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Tuolumne County would generate negative cash flow of $1,045/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Tuolumne County

CaliforniaPopulation: 54,993

/100

Avoid

#689 of 1,000 counties

#28 in California (58 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 11, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$388,488

Median Home Price

66% above national median

$1,525/mo

Median Rent

1% above national median

4.71%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 79% nationally

-$1,045

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,525/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$291,366	-$536/mo	4.1%	-9.6%
Median typical MLS deal	$388,488	-$1,045/mo	3.1%	-14.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$485,610	-$1,555/mo	2.5%	-16.7%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$388,488

Down Payment (20%)$77,698

Loan Amount$310,790

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,525

Monthly P&I-$2,036

Est. Expenses (35%)-$534

Net Cash Flow-$1,045/mo

3.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.71%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.1% 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

42/100

Cash Flow(30%)

41/100

Based on 4.71% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

30/100

Based on -4.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

47/100

Price-to-income ratio of 5.5x. 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 (4.71%)
-Declining home values (-4.0% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,045/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.1% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

54,993

Median Income

$70,432

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

5.5x

Less affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
San BernardinoCA	43	$541,638	$2,440	5.41%	Avoid	View
San JoaquinCA	43	$523,017	$2,356	5.41%	Avoid	View
CurrentTuolumneCA	42	$388,488	$1,525	4.71%	Avoid
RiversideCA	42	$598,126	$2,554	5.12%	Avoid	View
SacramentoCA	42	$518,553	$2,149	4.97%	Avoid	View
El DoradoCA	42	$636,684	$2,389	4.50%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

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

Tuolumne County in California scores 42/100, ranking #689 of 1,000 US counties (top 91%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $1045/month; the 4.71% gross rent-to-price ratio doesn't survive debt service. The thesis here is appreciation, value-add, house hacking, or all-cash.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,045/mo

Cap Rate

3.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.0%

Related markets

Markets like Tuolumne with stronger cash flow

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in California →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Tuolumne?

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

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,525/mo rent assumption, 20% down, 6.85% rate. What changes is the acquisition price.

Scenario	Purchase price	Monthly cash flow	Cap rate	Cash-on-cash
75% of median value-add or distressed	$291,366	-$536/mo	4.1%	-9.6%
Median typical MLS deal	$388,488	-$1,045/mo	3.1%	-14.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$485,610	-$1,555/mo	2.5%	-16.7%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$388,488

Down Payment (20%)$77,698

Loan Amount$310,790

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,525

Monthly P&I-$2,036

Est. Expenses (35%)-$534

Net Cash Flow-$1,045/mo

3.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-14.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.71%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.1% 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

42/100

Cash Flow(30%)

41/100

Based on 4.71% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

30/100

Based on -4.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

47/100

Price-to-income ratio of 5.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

Skip if

−You need positive cash flow on day one at typical leverage
−You can't tolerate negative leverage (cap rate below mortgage rate today)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year
−You want a market with broad institutional consensus on fundamentals

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
San BernardinoCA	43	$541,638	$2,440	5.41%	Avoid	View
San JoaquinCA	43	$523,017	$2,356	5.41%	Avoid	View
CurrentTuolumneCA	42	$388,488	$1,525	4.71%	Avoid
RiversideCA	42	$598,126	$2,554	5.12%	Avoid	View
SacramentoCA	42	$518,553	$2,149	4.97%	Avoid	View
El DoradoCA	42	$636,684	$2,389	4.50%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

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

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,045/mo

Cap Rate

3.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-14.0%