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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 52353 (Washington, IA)

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
6.2%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.0%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$745/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$199,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,030/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$12,360
Vacancy$618
Management$939
Property tax$3,302
Insurance$1,610
Maintenance$1,986
Net operating income$3,905
Loan payments$12,845
Cash flow-$8,941
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$198,648
Down payment (25%)$49,662
Loan$148,986
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,070
Cash in$55,621
Cash-on-cash return-16.1%
DSCR0.30
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$1,610 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Iowa, $1,342, 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
+4.1%
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
10011012013020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$153,469
Aug 2022$167,950
Aug 2023$174,865
Aug 2024$181,972
Aug 2025$190,862
Aug 2026$198,648

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$780$780$1,030$1,270$1,360
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: Washington County, IA HUD Metro FMR Area.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.66%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$3,302/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Washington County: 1.37%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
3.9
Washington County, last 12 months
National percentile
41th
among US counties

35 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
52359West Chester6.2 mi$150,000$970*7.8%-$389
52201Ainsworth9.0 mi$251,000$920*4.4%-$1,118
52654Wayland11.2 mi$216,000$930*5.2%-$938
52621Crawfordsville11.3 mi$229,000$1,040*5.5%-$950
52540Washington11.5 mi$169,000$930*6.6%-$563
52248Keota11.9 mi$185,000$920*5.9%-$659
52356Wellman14.0 mi$255,000$1,000*4.7%-$1,144
52327Riverside14.1 mi$353,000$1,130*3.8%-$1,702

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

Every ZIP in Washington CountyIowa City, IA metroIowa

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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 52353

Questions

Is 52353 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $199,000 and renting for $1,030 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 6.2% and the estimated cap rate is 2.0%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$745 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 52353?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 52353. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,030, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 52353?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.66% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $199,000 home that is about $3,302 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 52353 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 52353?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +4.1%.

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.