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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 98537 (Cosmopolis, WA)

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
2.3%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,145/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$329,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,400/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$16,800
Vacancy$840
Management$1,277
Property tax$2,400
Insurance$1,478
Maintenance$3,287
Net operating income$7,518
Loan payments$21,256
Cash flow-$13,738
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$328,716
Down payment (25%)$82,179
Loan$246,537
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,771
Cash in$92,040
Cash-on-cash return-14.9%
DSCR0.35
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$1,478 a year
NAIC 2023 average homeowners (HO-3) premium for Washington, $1,232, 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
-0.7%
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
9510010511020222023202420252026
Show the numbers
MonthTypical value
Aug 2021$321,129
Aug 2022$341,863
Aug 2023$328,743
Aug 2024$335,359
Aug 2025$331,135
Aug 2026$328,716

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$960$1,070$1,400$1,940$2,150
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: Grays Harbor County, WA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.73%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,400/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Pacific County: 0.71%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
6.4
Pacific County, last 12 months
National percentile
56th
among US counties

70 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
98577Raymond11.9 mi$292,000$1,240*5.1%-$1,040
98568Oakville15.1 mi$381,000$1,660*5.2%-$1,281
98520Aberdeen15.7 mi$276,000$1,3926.1%-$839
98590Tokeland19.6 mi$281,000$1,170*5.0%-$1,037
98541Elma19.9 mi$370,000$1,140*3.7%-$1,647
98547Grayland20.4 mi$281,000$1,050*4.5%-$1,152
98586South Bend21.6 mi$294,000$1,160*4.7%-$1,094
98557McCleary22.5 mi$389,000$1,140*3.5%-$1,851

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

Every ZIP in Pacific CountyAberdeen, WA metroWashington

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 98537

Questions

Is 98537 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $329,000 and renting for $1,400 a month (HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026), the gross yield is 5.1% and the estimated cap rate is 2.3%. At a 7.78% investor rate with 25% down, estimated cash flow is -$1,145 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 98537?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 98537. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,400, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 98537?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.73% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $329,000 home that is about $2,400 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 98537 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 98537?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed -0.7%.

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.