Is Pierce County, WA good for real estate investing?

Pierce County has an investment score of 37/100, rated as "Avoid". The county ranks #731 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

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

The rent-to-price ratio in Pierce County is 4.02% annually, which ranks in the 7th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Pierce?

The median home price in Pierce County is $573,622. This ranks #941 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Pierce?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Pierce County would generate negative cash flow of $1,758/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Pierce County

WashingtonPopulation: 918,993Seattle, WA Metro

/100

Avoid

#731 of 1,000 counties

#31 in Washington (39 counties)

Analysis by RentalCalcs ResearchIndependent data + algorithm-driven scoring

Updated May 25, 2026Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census ACS, Tax Foundation

Market Snapshot

$573,622

Median Home Price

145% above national median

$1,921/mo

Median Rent

27% above national median

4.02%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 93% nationally

-$1,758

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Scenario comparison

Same $1,921/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	$430,217	-$1,006/mo	3.5%	-12.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$573,622	-$1,758/mo	2.6%	-16.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$717,028	-$2,510/mo	2.1%	-18.3%

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$573,622

Down Payment (20%)$114,724

Loan Amount$458,898

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,921

Monthly P&I-$3,007

Est. Expenses (35%)-$672

Net Cash Flow-$1,758/mo

2.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-16.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.02%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.6% 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

37/100

Cash Flow(30%)

30/100

Based on 4.02% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

47/100

Based on -0.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

19/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

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

+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (4.02%)
-Declining home values (-0.5% YoY)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$1,758/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 2.6% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

918,993

Median Income

—

Data pending

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

—

Data pending

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

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
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
ChelanWA	40	$526,792	$1,747	3.98%	Avoid	View
WhatcomWA	40	$600,648	$2,018	4.03%	Avoid	View
IslandWA	39	$623,534	$2,015	3.88%	Avoid	View
CurrentPierceWA	37	$573,622	$1,921	4.02%	Avoid
SnohomishWA	37	$739,453	$2,150	3.49%	Avoid	View
KingWA	34	$841,149	$2,267	3.23%	Avoid	View

The Bottom Line

AvoidPierce may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Pierce County in Washington scores 37/100, ranking #731 of 1,000 US counties (top 97%). At 20% down and current rates, a median-priced rental loses about $1758/month; the 4.02% 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

$-1,758/mo

Cap Rate

2.6%

Cash-on-Cash

-16.0%

Related markets

Markets like Pierce with stronger cash flow

Cheaper alternatives to Pierce

Chelan County, lower entry price

Head-to-head comparisons

All counties in Washington →

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Pierce?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

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Scenario comparison

Same $1,921/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	$430,217	-$1,006/mo	3.5%	-12.2%
Median typical MLS deal	$573,622	-$1,758/mo	2.6%	-16.0%
125% of median newer / premium	$717,028	-$2,510/mo	2.1%	-18.3%

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$573,622

Down Payment (20%)$114,724

Loan Amount$458,898

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,921

Monthly P&I-$3,007

Est. Expenses (35%)-$672

Net Cash Flow-$1,758/mo

2.6%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-16.0%

Cash-on-Cash Return

4.02%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 2.6% 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

37/100

Cash Flow(30%)

30/100

Based on 4.02% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

47/100

Based on -0.5% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

19/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Who this market fits

Best for

+All-cash buyers: removing debt service flips the cap rate to actual yield

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
−You rely on FHA-style financing: prices are stretched relative to local incomes

County

Verdict

ChelanWA

$526,792

$1,747

3.98%

Avoid

View

WhatcomWA

$600,648

$2,018

4.03%

Avoid

View

IslandWA

$623,534

$2,015

3.88%

Avoid

View

CurrentPierceWA

$573,622

$1,921

4.02%

Avoid

SnohomishWA

$739,453

$2,150

3.49%

Avoid

View

KingWA

$841,149

$2,267

3.23%

Avoid

View

The Bottom Line

AvoidPierce may be challenging for traditional rentals. High prices or low rents make cash flow difficult.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-1,758/mo

Cap Rate

2.6%

Cash-on-Cash

-16.0%