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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 53965 (Wisconsin Dells, 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
4.4%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
1.3%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,342/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$310,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,140/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$13,680
Vacancy$684
Management$1,040
Property tax$3,831
Insurance$1,108
Maintenance$3,097
Net operating income$3,921
Loan payments$20,026
Cash flow-$16,105
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$309,692
Down payment (25%)$77,423
Loan$232,269
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,669
Cash in$86,714
Cash-on-cash return-18.6%
DSCR0.20
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
+4.2%
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
10010511011512012520222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$251,376
Aug 2022$274,938
Aug 2023$282,162
Aug 2024$289,788
Aug 2025$297,223
Aug 2026$309,692

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$840$930$1,140$1,490$1,580
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: Columbia County, WI HUD Metro FMR Area.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.24%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$3,831/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Adams County: 1.20%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
20.3
Adams County, last 12 months
National percentile
91th
among US counties

193 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
53920Briggsville7.2 mi$273,000$1,170*5.1%-$1,002
53944Lyndon Station9.2 mi$298,000$1,100*4.4%-$1,291
53952Oxford11.1 mi$264,000$1,150*5.2%-$1,002
53913Baraboo12.4 mi$316,000$1,4315.4%-$1,210
53930Endeavor13.1 mi$269,000$1,020*4.5%-$1,158
53936Grand Marsh13.8 mi$194,000$1,130*7.0%-$488
53910Adams15.2 mi$196,000$970*5.9%-$652
53901Portage15.3 mi$294,000$1,230*5.0%-$1,189

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

Every ZIP in Adams CountyMadison, WI metroWisconsin

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 53965

Questions

Is 53965 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $310,000 and renting for $1,140 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 4.4% and the estimated cap rate is 1.3%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,342 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 53965?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 53965. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,140, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 53965?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.24% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $310,000 home that is about $3,831 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 53965 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 53965?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +4.2%.

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.