Is Tompkins County, NY good for real estate investing?

Tompkins County has an investment score of 65/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #311 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Tompkins County is 7.84% annually, which ranks in the 91th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Tompkins?

The median home price in Tompkins County is $341,889. This ranks #685 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Tompkins?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Tompkins County would generate negative cash flow of $341/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Tompkins County

New YorkPopulation: 102,555

/100

Buy

#311 of 1,000 counties

#28 in New York (62 counties)

Market Snapshot

$341,889

Median Home Price

25% above national median

$2,233/mo

Median Rent

49% above national median

7.84%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 9% nationally

-$341

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$341,889

Down Payment (20%)$68,378

Loan Amount$273,511

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,233

Monthly P&I-$1,792

Est. Expenses (35%)-$782

Net Cash Flow-$341/mo

5.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-5.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.84%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.1% 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

65/100

Cash Flow(30%)

78/100

Based on 7.84% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

72/100

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

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

57/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.9x. 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 (7.84%)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$341/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 5.1% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

102,555

Median Income

$69,995

vs $62,400 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

4.9x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
FultonNY	66	$208,433	$1,113	6.41%	Buy	View
CurrentTompkinsNY	65	$341,889	$2,233	7.84%	Buy
RensselaerNY	65	$308,800	$1,479	5.75%	Buy	View
CayugaNY	64	$220,162	$1,221	6.65%	Buy	View
NiagaraNY	64	$240,808	$1,077	5.37%	Buy	View
ErieNY	64	$282,437	$1,371	5.83%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

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

Tompkins County in New York scores 65/100, ranking #311 of 1,000 US counties (top 31%). The 7.84% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-341/mo

Cap Rate

5.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-5.2%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Tompkins?

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$341,889

Down Payment (20%)$68,378

Loan Amount$273,511

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,233

Monthly P&I-$1,792

Est. Expenses (35%)-$782

Net Cash Flow-$341/mo

5.1%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-5.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.84%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 5.1% 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

65/100

Cash Flow(30%)

78/100

Based on 7.84% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

72/100

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

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

57/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.9x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

FultonNY

$208,433

$1,113

6.41%

Buy

View

CurrentTompkinsNY

$341,889

$2,233

7.84%

Buy

RensselaerNY

$308,800

$1,479

5.75%

Buy

View

CayugaNY

$220,162

$1,221

6.65%

Buy

View

NiagaraNY

$240,808

$1,077

5.37%

Buy

View

ErieNY

$282,437

$1,371

5.83%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

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

Monthly Cash Flow

$-341/mo

Cap Rate

5.1%

Cash-on-Cash

-5.2%