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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 96055 (Los Molinos, CA)

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
5.1%
rent x 12 / price
Est. cap rate
2.1%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,174/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$322,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,370/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$16,440
Vacancy$822
Management$1,249
Property tax$2,410
Insurance$1,986
Maintenance$3,222
Net operating income$6,750
Loan payments$20,836
Cash flow-$14,086
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$322,224
Down payment (25%)$80,556
Loan$241,668
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,736
Cash in$90,223
Cash-on-cash return-15.6%
DSCR0.32
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$1,986 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for California, $1,655, 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
+6.0%
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
9510010511011520222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$305,019
Aug 2022$336,614
Aug 2023$320,163
Aug 2024$318,422
Aug 2025$303,933
Aug 2026$322,224

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$960$1,040$1,370$1,880$2,300
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: Tehama County, CA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.75%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,410/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Tehama County: 0.62%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
3.6
Tehama County, last 12 months
National percentile
40th
among US counties

90 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
96035Gerber10.6 mi$269,000$1,360*6.1%-$792
95973Chico17.0 mi$500,000$1,7294.2%-$2,119
96021Corning18.8 mi$293,000$1,370*5.6%-$933
96075Red Bluff19.3 mi$168,000$1,460*10.4%+$12
95942Forest Ranch21.6 mi$368,000$1,600*5.2%-$1,325
96080Red Bluff23.9 mi$318,000$1,5385.8%-$967
96059Manton24.8 mi$326,000$1,460*5.4%-$1,131
95926Chico25.7 mi$430,000$1,4394.0%-$1,844

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

Every ZIP in Tehama CountyRed Bluff, CA metroCalifornia

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 96055

Questions

Is 96055 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $322,000 and renting for $1,370 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 5.1% and the estimated cap rate is 2.1%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,174 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 96055?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 96055. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,370, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 96055?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.75% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $322,000 home that is about $2,410 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 96055 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 96055?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed +6.0%.

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.