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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 54871 (Shell Lake, 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
4.0%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
1.0%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,458/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$322,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,080/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$12,960
Vacancy$648
Management$985
Property tax$3,705
Insurance$1,108
Maintenance$3,216
Net operating income$3,297
Loan payments$20,798
Cash flow-$17,501
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$321,635
Down payment (25%)$80,409
Loan$241,226
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,733
Cash in$90,058
Cash-on-cash return-19.4%
DSCR0.16
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
+5.3%
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
10011012013014020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$242,122
Aug 2022$278,459
Aug 2023$293,337
Aug 2024$294,671
Aug 2025$305,583
Aug 2026$321,635

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$750$820$1,080$1,300$1,470
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: Burnett County, WI.

Property tax

Effective rate
1.15%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$3,705/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Washburn County: 1.05%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
15.7
Washburn County, last 12 months
National percentile
85th
among US counties

119 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
54813Barronett6.4 mi$282,000$970*4.1%-$1,234
54801Spooner8.5 mi$302,000$970*3.9%-$1,412
54870Sarona11.3 mi$389,000$1,360*4.2%-$1,667
54829Cumberland13.1 mi$335,000$1,070*3.8%-$1,575
54888Trego16.9 mi$301,000$970*3.9%-$1,364
54837Frederic17.9 mi$270,000$1,000*4.4%-$1,152
54893Webster18.0 mi$312,000$1,010*3.9%-$1,370
54872Siren18.8 mi$284,000$1,000*4.2%-$1,233

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

Every ZIP in Washburn CountyWisconsin

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Open the calculator for 54871

Questions

Is 54871 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $322,000 and renting for $1,080 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 4.0% and the estimated cap rate is 1.0%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,458 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 54871?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 54871. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,080, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 54871?
The effective property tax rate is about 1.15% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $322,000 home that is about $3,705 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 54871 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 54871?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +5.3%.

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.