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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 26169 (Ravenswood, WV)

Negative cash flow at today's 7.78% investor rate with 25% down; the typical home breaks even at about 1.1%.

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
6.3%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.9%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$532/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$181,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$960/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$11,520
Vacancy$576
Management$876
Property tax$1,498
Insurance$1,415
Maintenance$1,814
Net operating income$5,341
Loan payments$11,730
Cash flow-$6,389
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$181,404
Down payment (25%)$45,351
Loan$136,053
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$978
Cash in$50,793
Cash-on-cash return-12.6%
DSCR0.46
Break-even rate1.12%
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$1,415 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for West Virginia, $1,179, 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
+5.2%
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
9010011012013020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$146,695
Aug 2022$156,168
Aug 2023$163,080
Aug 2024$168,996
Aug 2025$172,414
Aug 2026$181,404

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$760$770$960$1,230$1,300
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: Parkersburg-Vienna, WV MSA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.83%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$1,498/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Wood County: 0.59%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
2.9
Wood County, last 12 months
National percentile
33th
among US counties

102 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
26133Ravenswood5.3 mi$203,000$1,050*6.2%-$538
26150Mineral Wells5.4 mi$221,000$1,010*5.5%-$699
26164Ravenswood7.0 mi$187,000$1,020*6.5%-$482
25275Ravenswood9.9 mi$206,000$960*5.6%-$663
26181Washington10.7 mi$226,000$1,080*5.7%-$692
26101Parkersburg11.0 mi$135,000$1,0369.2%-$129
26160Palestine11.0 mi$126,000$870*8.3%-$177
26143Elizabeth11.4 mi$118,000$890*9.1%-$137

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

Every ZIP in Wood CountyParkersburg, WV metroWest Virginia

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 26169

Questions

Is 26169 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $181,000 and renting for $960 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 6.3% and the estimated cap rate is 2.9%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$532 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 26169?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 26169. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $960, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 26169?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.83% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $181,000 home that is about $1,498 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 26169 break even?
About 1.12%. 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 26169?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +5.2%.

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.