Is Saint Clair County, IL good for real estate investing?

Saint Clair County has an investment score of 78/100, rated as "Strong Buy". The county ranks #10 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Saint Clair?

The rent-to-price ratio in Saint Clair County is 8.74% annually, which ranks in the 95th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Saint Clair?

The median home price in Saint Clair County is $171,619. This ranks #236 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Saint Clair?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Saint Clair County would generate negative cash flow of $87/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Saint Clair County

IllinoisPopulation: 256,791St. Louis, MO Metro

/100

Strong Buy

#10 of 1,000 counties

#23 in Illinois (102 counties)

Market Snapshot

$171,619

Median Home Price

27% below national median

$1,250/mo

Median Rent

17% below national median

8.74%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 5% nationally

-$87

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$171,619

Down Payment (20%)$34,324

Loan Amount$137,295

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,250

Monthly P&I-$900

Est. Expenses (35%)-$438

Net Cash Flow-$87/mo

5.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-2.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.74%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.7% 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

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

87/100

Based on 8.74% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

85/100

Based on 4.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

93/100

Price-to-income ratio of 2.5x. 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

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (8.74%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative leverage (cap rate 5.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

256,791

Median Income

$68,915

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

2.5x

Very affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
RichlandIL	80	$132,577	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
EdwardsIL	79	$124,765	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
PeoriaIL	79	$154,382	$1,168	9.08%	Strong Buy	View
CurrentSaint ClairIL	78	$171,619	$1,250	8.74%	Strong Buy
BureauIL	78	$142,617	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
Rock IslandIL	77	$151,597	$1,035	8.19%	Strong Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuySaint Clair is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Saint Clair County in Illinois scores 78/100, ranking #10 of 1,000 US counties (top 1%). The 8.74% rent-to-price ratio exceeds the 1% rule target, suggesting strong cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-87/mo

Cap Rate

5.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-2.6%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Saint Clair?

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$171,619

Down Payment (20%)$34,324

Loan Amount$137,295

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,250

Monthly P&I-$900

Est. Expenses (35%)-$438

Net Cash Flow-$87/mo

5.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-2.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

8.74%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.7% 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

78/100

Cash Flow(30%)

87/100

Based on 8.74% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

85/100

Based on 4.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

93/100

Price-to-income ratio of 2.5x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
RichlandIL	80	$132,577	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
EdwardsIL	79	$124,765	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
PeoriaIL	79	$154,382	$1,168	9.08%	Strong Buy	View
CurrentSaint ClairIL	78	$171,619	$1,250	8.74%	Strong Buy
BureauIL	78	$142,617	Est. pending	—	Strong Buy	View
Rock IslandIL	77	$151,597	$1,035	8.19%	Strong Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Strong BuySaint Clair is a strong buy market with excellent fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

Saint Clair County in Illinois scores 78/100, ranking #10 of 1,000 US counties (top 1%). The 8.74% rent-to-price ratio exceeds the 1% rule target, suggesting strong cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-87/mo

Cap Rate

5.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-2.6%