Skip to content
RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 17948 (Mahanoy City, PA)

Cash-flow positive at today's 7.78% investor rate with 25% down: about $555 a month on the typical home.

Data-quality note. This ZIP was flagged by our checks this month (gross yield above 25%). Small samples can move sharply from month to month. The figures are shown as published; treat them with care.
Gross yield
29.9%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
20.4%
NOI / price
Cash flow
+$555/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$48,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,190/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$14,280
Vacancy$714
Management$1,085
Property tax$787
Insurance$1,460
Maintenance$478
Net operating income$9,756
Loan payments$3,090
Cash flow$6,666
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$47,790
Down payment (25%)$11,948
Loan$35,843
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$258
Cash in$13,381
Cash-on-cash return49.8%
DSCR3.16
Break-even rate27.21%
Down payment25%
A common minimum for investment-property and DSCR loans.
Interest rate7.78%
Freddie Mac 30-year 7.03% (week of 2026-09-24) + 0.75 point investor premium.
Loan term30 years
Fixed, fully amortising.
Closing costs3% of price
Added to cash invested.
Insurance$1,460 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Pennsylvania, $1,217, x 1.2 for a landlord policy.
Maintenance1% of price a year
The 1% rule of thumb; older homes run higher.
Vacancy5% of rent
About 18 days empty a year.
Management8% of collected rent
A typical full-service fee; zero if you self-manage.

Trends

Five years to August 2026

Price, 12 months
-2.2%
Rent, 12 months
n/a
no Zillow rent series here
Rent minus price growth
n/a
positive means yields are improving
Typical value (Zillow ZHVI)Indexed to 100 at Aug 2021
10012014016020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$33,493
Aug 2022$38,678
Aug 2023$41,749
Aug 2024$50,328
Aug 2025$48,883
Aug 2026$47,790

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$840$910$1,190$1,550$1,630
Zillow observed rent, Aug 2026not published for this ZIP

HUD's Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a standard unit, and it is what Section 8 vouchers pay against. Zillow's index tracks asking rents on listed homes. The two measure different things, so they are shown side by side and never averaged. HUD area: Schuylkill County, PA.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.65%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$787/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Schuylkill County: 1.40%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
3.7
Schuylkill County, last 12 months
National percentile
40th
among US counties

214 new housing units permitted in 2025-09 to 2026-08, Census Building Permits Survey. A high figure means more new supply competing for tenants.

Nearby ZIP codes

ZIPDistanceTypical priceRentGross yieldCash flow /mo
18214Barnesville3.1 mi$242,000$970*4.8%-$1,096
17976Shenandoah3.5 mi$60,000$1,080*21.5%+$354
17931Frackville4.4 mi$140,000$970*8.3%-$350
17967Ringtown4.7 mi$223,000$970*5.2%-$908
17959New Philadelphia5.7 mi$97,000$970*12.0%-$20
18237McAdoo6.3 mi$172,000$1,360*9.5%-$174
17970Saint Clair7.3 mi$104,000$1,00011.6%-$33
17935Girardville7.4 mi$35,000$980*33.5%+$455

* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom (no Zillow rent index for that ZIP).

Every ZIP in Schuylkill CountyPottsville, PA metroPennsylvania

Run the numbers on a real listing

The calculator opens with this ZIP's figures. Swap in a listing's price and rent, your rate and your costs.

Open the calculator for 17948

Questions

Is 17948 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $48,000 and renting for $1,190 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 29.9% and the estimated cap rate is 20.4%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is +$555 a month. The median gross yield across the 8,418 ZIP codes with full Zillow data is 5.6%. These are figures for a typical property, not a judgement on any particular one.
What is the typical rent in 17948?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 17948. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,190, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 17948?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.65% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $48,000 home that is about $787 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 17948 break even?
About 27.21%. Below that rate, the typical home here cash-flows with 25% down and the default costs; above it, it does not. Today's investor rate used here is 7.78%.
How fast are prices and rents changing in 17948?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed -2.2%.

Sources and method

Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.

Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.