Is Clark County, OH good for real estate investing?

Clark County has an investment score of 71/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #103 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Clark County is 7.24% annually, which ranks in the 82th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Clark?

The median home price in Clark County is $198,661. This ranks #352 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Clark?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Clark County would generate negative cash flow of $262/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Clark County

OhioPopulation: 135,877

/100

Hold

#103 of 1,000 counties

#26 in Ohio (88 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

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

Market Snapshot

$198,661

Median Home Price

15% below national median

$1,198/mo

Median Rent

21% below national median

7.24%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 18% nationally

-$262

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,198/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	$148,996	-$2/mo	6.3%	-0.1%
Median typical MLS deal	$198,661	-$262/mo	4.7%	-6.9%
125% of median newer / premium	$248,326	-$523/mo	3.8%	-11.0%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$198,661

Down Payment (20%)$39,732

Loan Amount$158,929

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,198

Monthly P&I-$1,041

Est. Expenses (35%)-$419

Net Cash Flow-$262/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.9%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.24%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% 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

71/100

Cash Flow(30%)

72/100

Based on 7.24% 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 (7.24%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$262/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.7% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

135,877

Median Income

$58,954

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.4x

Moderately affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up
+Institutional or out-of-state investors who target appreciation markets

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)

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
AshtabulaOH	72	$174,003	$1,024	7.06%	Buy	View
CurrentClarkOH	71	$198,661	$1,198	7.24%	Buy
ErieOH	70	$228,638	$1,405	7.38%	Buy	View
SummitOH	70	$217,839	$1,234	6.80%	Buy	View
StarkOH	70	$208,291	$1,113	6.41%	Buy	View
LakeOH	70	$238,678	$1,360	6.84%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldClark scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $262/mo at current rates. Consider house hacking, value-add, or all-cash; otherwise a worse score with positive cash flow may be the better deal.

Clark County in Ohio scores 71/100, ranking #103 of 1,000 US counties (top 14%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $262/month; the 7.24% 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

$-262/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.9%

Related markets

Markets like Clark with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Clark

Ashtabula County, lower entry price

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Ohio →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Clark?

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,198/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	$148,996	-$2/mo	6.3%	-0.1%
Median typical MLS deal	$198,661	-$262/mo	4.7%	-6.9%
125% of median newer / premium	$248,326	-$523/mo	3.8%	-11.0%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$198,661

Down Payment (20%)$39,732

Loan Amount$158,929

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,198

Monthly P&I-$1,041

Est. Expenses (35%)-$419

Net Cash Flow-$262/mo

4.7%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.9%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.24%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.7% 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

71/100

Cash Flow(30%)

72/100

Based on 7.24% 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.

Who this market fits

Best for

+Patient holders willing to accept negative carry for equity gains
+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield
+Value-add operators who can buy below median and force rent up
+Institutional or out-of-state investors who target appreciation markets

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)

County

Verdict

AshtabulaOH

$174,003

$1,024

7.06%

Buy

View

CurrentClarkOH

$198,661

$1,198

7.24%

Buy

ErieOH

$228,638

$1,405

7.38%

Buy

View

SummitOH

$217,839

$1,234

6.80%

Buy

View

StarkOH

$208,291

$1,113

6.41%

Buy

View

LakeOH

$238,678

$1,360

6.84%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-262/mo

Cap Rate

4.7%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.9%