Is Ingham County, MI good for real estate investing?

Ingham County has an investment score of 71/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #105 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Ingham County is 7.30% annually, which ranks in the 82th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Ingham?

The median home price in Ingham County is $212,456. This ranks #406 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Ingham?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Ingham County would generate negative cash flow of $273/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Ingham County

MichiganPopulation: 282,540Lansing, MI Metro

/100

Buy

#105 of 1,000 counties

#18 in Michigan (83 counties)

Market Snapshot

$212,456

Median Home Price

9% below national median

$1,293/mo

Median Rent

14% below national median

7.30%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 18% nationally

-$273

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$212,456

Down Payment (20%)$42,491

Loan Amount$169,965

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,293

Monthly P&I-$1,114

Est. Expenses (35%)-$452

Net Cash Flow-$273/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.30%

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

71/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.30% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 4.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

79/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.4x. 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 (7.30%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$273/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

282,540

Median Income

$62,548

vs $57,018 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.4x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
MidlandMI	72	$230,644	$1,511	7.86%	Buy	View
GeneseeMI	72	$185,183	$1,077	6.98%	Buy	View
IoniaMI	72	$246,767	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentInghamMI	71	$212,456	$1,293	7.30%	Buy
LenaweeMI	71	$229,347	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
MarquetteMI	71	$236,270	$1,354	6.88%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

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

Ingham County in Michigan scores 71/100, ranking #105 of 1,000 US counties (top 14%). The 7.30% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-273/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.7%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Ingham?

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$212,456

Down Payment (20%)$42,491

Loan Amount$169,965

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,293

Monthly P&I-$1,114

Est. Expenses (35%)-$452

Net Cash Flow-$273/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.7%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.30%

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

71/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.30% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

84/100

Based on 4.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

79/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.4x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

MidlandMI

$230,644

$1,511

7.86%

Buy

View

GeneseeMI

$185,183

$1,077

6.98%

Buy

View

IoniaMI

$246,767

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

CurrentInghamMI

$212,456

$1,293

7.30%

Buy

LenaweeMI

$229,347

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

MarquetteMI

$236,270

$1,354

6.88%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

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

Ingham County in Michigan scores 71/100, ranking #105 of 1,000 US counties (top 14%). The 7.30% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-273/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.7%