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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 53803 (Benton, WI)

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
6.3%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.4%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$698/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$204,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,060/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$12,720
Vacancy$636
Management$967
Property tax$3,183
Insurance$1,108
Maintenance$2,036
Net operating income$4,791
Loan payments$13,167
Cash flow-$8,376
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$203,619
Down payment (25%)$50,905
Loan$152,714
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,097
Cash in$57,013
Cash-on-cash return-14.7%
DSCR0.36
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$1,108 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Wisconsin, $923, 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
+10.5%
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
10011012013014015020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$143,697
Aug 2022$154,269
Aug 2023$170,314
Aug 2024$172,686
Aug 2025$184,301
Aug 2026$203,619

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$750$890$1,060$1,470$1,600
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: Lafayette County, WI.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.56%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$3,183/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Lafayette County: 1.57%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
8.9
Lafayette County, last 12 months
National percentile
67th
among US counties

60 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
53586Shullsburg6.6 mi$204,000$970*5.7%-$780
53807Cuba City7.2 mi$258,000$970*4.5%-$1,166
61075Scales Mound8.0 mi$218,000$920*5.1%-$919
53811Hazel Green8.7 mi$276,000$1,070*4.7%-$1,190
61036Galena10.1 mi$307,000$930*3.6%-$1,690
61025East Dubuque11.9 mi$237,000$1,050*5.3%-$1,050
53510Belmont12.8 mi$269,000$970*4.3%-$1,234
53808Dickeyville13.2 mi$249,000$970*4.7%-$1,089

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

Every ZIP in Lafayette CountyWisconsin

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Open the calculator for 53803

Questions

Is 53803 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $204,000 and renting for $1,060 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 6.3% and the estimated cap rate is 2.4%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$698 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 53803?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 53803. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,060, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 53803?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.56% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $204,000 home that is about $3,183 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 53803 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 53803?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +10.5%.

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.