Is Winnebago County, IL good for real estate investing?

Winnebago County has an investment score of 72/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #86 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Winnebago County is 7.33% annually, which ranks in the 83th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Winnebago?

The median home price in Winnebago County is $195,223. This ranks #336 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Winnebago?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Winnebago County would generate negative cash flow of $248/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Winnebago County

IllinoisPopulation: 284,591Rockford, IL Metro

/100

Buy

#86 of 1,000 counties

#48 in Illinois (102 counties)

Market Snapshot

$195,223

Median Home Price

16% below national median

$1,193/mo

Median Rent

21% below national median

7.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 17% nationally

-$248

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$195,223

Down Payment (20%)$39,045

Loan Amount$156,178

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,193

Monthly P&I-$1,023

Est. Expenses (35%)-$418

Net Cash Flow-$248/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.8% 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

72/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.33% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

83/100

Based on 8.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

83/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.2x. 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 (7.33%)
+Strong price appreciation (+8.7% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$248/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

284,591

Median Income

$61,738

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.2x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentWinnebagoIL	72	$195,223	$1,193	7.33%	Buy
WoodfordIL	72	$220,926	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
WilliamsonIL	72	$152,606	$1,067	8.39%	Buy	View
MadisonIL	72	$187,237	$1,095	7.02%	Buy	View
KankakeeIL	72	$211,066	$1,309	7.44%	Buy	View
McHenryIL	71	$349,331	$2,114	7.26%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

BuyWinnebago offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Winnebago County in Illinois scores 72/100, ranking #86 of 1,000 US counties (top 11%). The 7.33% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-248/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.6%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Winnebago?

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$195,223

Down Payment (20%)$39,045

Loan Amount$156,178

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,193

Monthly P&I-$1,023

Est. Expenses (35%)-$418

Net Cash Flow-$248/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.33%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.8% 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

72/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.33% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

83/100

Based on 8.7% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

83/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.2x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

CurrentWinnebagoIL

$195,223

$1,193

7.33%

Buy

WoodfordIL

$220,926

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

WilliamsonIL

$152,606

$1,067

8.39%

Buy

View

MadisonIL

$187,237

$1,095

7.02%

Buy

View

KankakeeIL

$211,066

$1,309

7.44%

Buy

View

McHenryIL

$349,331

$2,114

7.26%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

BuyWinnebago offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Winnebago County in Illinois scores 72/100, ranking #86 of 1,000 US counties (top 11%). The 7.33% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-248/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.6%