Is Colonial Heights City, VA good for real estate investing?

Colonial Heights City has an investment score of 61/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #295 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Colonial Heights City?

The rent-to-price ratio in Colonial Heights City is 7.34% annually, which ranks in the 83th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Colonial Heights City?

The median home price in Colonial Heights City is $275,316. This ranks #610 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Colonial Heights City?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Colonial Heights City would generate negative cash flow of $349/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Colonial Heights City

VirginiaPopulation: 18,158

/100

Hold

#295 of 1,000 counties

#50 in Virginia (133 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated January 1, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$275,316

Median Home Price

18% above national median

$1,683/mo

Median Rent

11% above national median

7.34%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 17% nationally

-$349

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,683/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	$206,487	+$12/mo	6.4%	+0.3%
Median typical MLS deal	$275,316	-$349/mo	4.8%	-6.6%
125% of median newer / premium	$344,145	-$710/mo	3.8%	-10.8%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$275,316

Down Payment (20%)$55,063

Loan Amount$220,253

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,683

Monthly P&I-$1,443

Est. Expenses (35%)-$589

Net Cash Flow-$349/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.34%

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

61/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.34% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

48/100

Based on -0.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

73/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.8x. 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 (7.34%)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Declining home values (-0.4% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$349/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.8% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

18,158

Median Income

$72,216

vs $57,059 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.8x

Moderately affordable

Who this market fits

Best for

+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

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)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
AugustaVA	62	$348,578	$1,589	5.47%	Buy	View
OrangeVA	62	$373,510	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentColonial Heights CityVA	61	$275,316	$1,683	7.34%	Buy
Petersburg CityVA	61	$187,566	$1,338	8.56%	Buy	View
MontgomeryVA	61	$329,915	$1,832	6.66%	Buy	View
Suffolk CityVA	61	$373,720	$1,910	6.13%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

HoldColonial Heights City scores well overall, but a typical leveraged buy-and-hold loses $349/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.

Colonial Heights City in Virginia scores 61/100, ranking #295 of 1,000 US counties (top 39%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $349/month; the 7.34% 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

$-349/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.6%

Related markets

Markets like Colonial Heights City with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Colonial Heights City

Petersburg City, lower entry price

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Virginia →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Colonial Heights City?

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

Scenario comparison

Same $1,683/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	$206,487	+$12/mo	6.4%	+0.3%
Median typical MLS deal	$275,316	-$349/mo	4.8%	-6.6%
125% of median newer / premium	$344,145	-$710/mo	3.8%	-10.8%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$275,316

Down Payment (20%)$55,063

Loan Amount$220,253

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,683

Monthly P&I-$1,443

Est. Expenses (35%)-$589

Net Cash Flow-$349/mo

4.8%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-6.6%

Cash-on-Cash Return

7.34%

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

61/100

Cash Flow(30%)

73/100

Based on 7.34% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

48/100

Based on -0.4% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

73/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.8x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Who this market fits

Best for

+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

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)
−You expect appreciation to carry the deal, but prices have declined year over year

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
AugustaVA	62	$348,578	$1,589	5.47%	Buy	View
OrangeVA	62	$373,510	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
CurrentColonial Heights CityVA	61	$275,316	$1,683	7.34%	Buy
Petersburg CityVA	61	$187,566	$1,338	8.56%	Buy	View
MontgomeryVA	61	$329,915	$1,832	6.66%	Buy	View
Suffolk CityVA	61	$373,720	$1,910	6.13%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

Monthly Cash Flow

$-349/mo

Cap Rate

4.8%

Cash-on-Cash

-6.6%