Is Lebanon County, PA good for real estate investing?

Lebanon County has an investment score of 63/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #254 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Lebanon County is 5.34% annually, which ranks in the 35th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Lebanon?

The median home price in Lebanon County is $301,485. This ranks #671 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Lebanon?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Lebanon County would generate negative cash flow of $708/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Lebanon County

PennsylvaniaPopulation: 143,258

/100

Buy

#254 of 1,000 counties

#31 in Pennsylvania (67 counties)

Market Snapshot

$301,485

Median Home Price

29% above national median

$1,343/mo

Median Rent

11% below national median

5.34%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 65% nationally

-$708

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$301,485

Down Payment (20%)$60,297

Loan Amount$241,188

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,343

Monthly P&I-$1,580

Est. Expenses (35%)-$470

Net Cash Flow-$708/mo

3.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-12.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.34%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.5% 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

63/100

Cash Flow(30%)

50/100

Based on 5.34% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 6.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

68/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.2x. 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

+Strong price appreciation (+6.2% YoY)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (5.34%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$708/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.5% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

143,258

Median Income

$72,532

vs $57,025 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

4.2x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
CurrentLebanonPA	63	$301,485	$1,343	5.34%	Buy
YorkPA	63	$297,755	$1,280	5.16%	Buy	View
LehighPA	63	$350,229	$1,778	6.09%	Buy	View
WestmorelandPA	63	$204,923	$1,016	5.95%	Buy	View
ButlerPA	63	$316,138	$1,679	6.37%	Buy	View
CentrePA	63	$336,145	$1,829	6.53%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

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

Lebanon County in Pennsylvania scores 63/100, ranking #254 of 1,000 US counties (top 34%). The 5.34% rent-to-price ratio may require creative strategies or below-market purchases for positive cash flow. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-708/mo

Cap Rate

3.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-12.3%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Lebanon?

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$301,485

Down Payment (20%)$60,297

Loan Amount$241,188

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,343

Monthly P&I-$1,580

Est. Expenses (35%)-$470

Net Cash Flow-$708/mo

3.5%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-12.3%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.34%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.5% 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

63/100

Cash Flow(30%)

50/100

Based on 5.34% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

89/100

Based on 6.2% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

68/100

Price-to-income ratio of 4.2x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

CurrentLebanonPA

$301,485

$1,343

5.34%

Buy

YorkPA

$297,755

$1,280

5.16%

Buy

View

LehighPA

$350,229

$1,778

6.09%

Buy

View

WestmorelandPA

$204,923

$1,016

5.95%

Buy

View

ButlerPA

$316,138

$1,679

6.37%

Buy

View

CentrePA

$336,145

$1,829

6.53%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

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

Monthly Cash Flow

$-708/mo

Cap Rate

3.5%

Cash-on-Cash

-12.3%