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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 21659 (Rhodesdale, MD)

Negative cash flow at any interest rate with 25% down: the rent does not cover operating costs and principal.

Rent here is HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom, because Zillow does not publish a rent index for this ZIP. It is the 40th percentile of gross rents, so market rent for a typical home is likely higher and the yield and cash flow below are conservative.
Gross yield
4.0%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
1.1%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,389/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$310,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,040/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$12,480
Vacancy$624
Management$948
Property tax$2,505
Insurance$1,894
Maintenance$3,104
Net operating income$3,405
Loan payments$20,069
Cash flow-$16,663
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$310,355
Down payment (25%)$77,589
Loan$232,766
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,672
Cash in$86,899
Cash-on-cash return-19.2%
DSCR0.17
Break-even ratenone
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$1,894 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Maryland, $1,578, 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
+5.9%
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
10010511011512012520222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$252,310
Aug 2022$274,491
Aug 2023$280,811
Aug 2024$290,751
Aug 2025$293,025
Aug 2026$310,355

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$830$840$1,040$1,460$1,750
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: Dorchester County, MD.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.81%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,505/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Dorchester County: 0.94%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
6.9
Dorchester County, last 12 months
National percentile
59th
among US counties

93 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
21861Sharptown4.8 mi$224,000$1,350*7.2%-$507
21643Hurlock6.1 mi$275,000$1,240*5.4%-$1,005
21631East New Market7.4 mi$334,000$1,720*6.2%-$955
21664Secretary8.2 mi$237,000$1,310*6.6%-$693
21837Delmar8.5 mi$296,000$1,410*5.7%-$952
19931Bethel10.3 mi$321,000$1,260*4.7%-$1,056
19973Seaford10.5 mi$314,000$1,260*4.8%-$1,063
21632Federalsburg10.9 mi$244,000$1,210*5.9%-$793

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

Every ZIP in Dorchester CountyCambridge, MD metroMaryland

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 21659

Questions

Is 21659 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $310,000 and renting for $1,040 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 4.0% and the estimated cap rate is 1.1%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,389 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 21659?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 21659. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,040, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 21659?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.81% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $310,000 home that is about $2,505 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 21659 break even?
With the default assumptions, no interest rate brings cash flow to zero: rent does not cover operating costs plus principal on a 30-year loan with 25% down.
How fast are prices and rents changing in 21659?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +5.9%.

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.