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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 56571 (Ottertail, MN)

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
3.7%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
0.8%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,759/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$374,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,150/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$13,800
Vacancy$690
Management$1,049
Property tax$2,834
Insurance$2,386
Maintenance$3,743
Net operating income$3,098
Loan payments$24,206
Cash flow-$21,108
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$374,332
Down payment (25%)$93,583
Loan$280,749
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$2,017
Cash in$104,813
Cash-on-cash return-20.1%
DSCR0.13
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$2,386 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Minnesota, $1,988, 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
+5.0%
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$288,150
Aug 2022$328,824
Aug 2023$333,029
Aug 2024$351,557
Aug 2025$356,440
Aug 2026$374,332

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$790$880$1,150$1,600$1,680
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: Otter Tail County, MN.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.76%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,834/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Otter Tail County: 0.77%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

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

98 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
56551Henning9.0 mi$277,000$970*4.2%-$1,224
56576Richville9.8 mi$416,000$1,070*3.1%-$2,082
56515Battle Lake11.2 mi$440,000$1,070*2.9%-$2,257
56567New York Mills11.3 mi$280,000$970*4.2%-$1,293
56527Deer Creek11.6 mi$258,000$990*4.6%-$1,078
56573Perham12.2 mi$366,000$970*3.2%-$1,900
56528Dent14.9 mi$405,000$1,410*4.2%-$1,743
56524Clitherall15.4 mi$425,000$1,100*3.1%-$2,085

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

Every ZIP in Otter Tail CountyFergus Falls, MN metroMinnesota

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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 56571

Questions

Is 56571 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $374,000 and renting for $1,150 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 3.7% and the estimated cap rate is 0.8%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,759 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 56571?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 56571. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,150, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 56571?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.76% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $374,000 home that is about $2,834 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 56571 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 56571?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +5.0%.

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.