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RE Intelligence

Rental numbers for ZIP 98951 (Wapato, 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
2.1%
NOI / price
Cash flow
-$1,036/mo
at 7.78%, 25% down
Typical price
$286,000
Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
HUD Fair Market Rent
$1,210/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, FY2026

The pro forma

Typical home, default assumptions

Income and expenses, per year
OperatorLineAmountSource
Gross rent$14,520
Vacancy$726
Management$1,104
Property tax$2,325
Insurance$1,478
Maintenance$2,856
Net operating income$6,032
Loan payments$18,468
Cash flow-$12,436
Purchase and loan
OperatorLineAmountSource
Typical price$285,596
Down payment (25%)$71,399
Loan$214,197
Rate7.78%
Monthly payment$1,539
Cash in$79,967
Cash-on-cash return-15.6%
DSCR0.33
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
-0.8%
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$259,106
Aug 2022$274,538
Aug 2023$273,415
Aug 2024$283,519
Aug 2025$287,933
Aug 2026$285,596

Rent references

Two sources, never blended

SourceStudio1 bed2 bed3 bed4 bed
HUD Small Area FMR, FY2026$920$920$1,210$1,690$1,840
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: Yakima, WA MSA.

Property tax

Effective rate
0.81%
ZIP area, ACS
At the typical price
$2,325/yr

Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024. Yakima County: 0.79%. Actual bills depend on the assessment, exemptions and any non-homestead rate.

Supply

Permits per 1,000 households
7.6
Yakima County, last 12 months
National percentile
62th
among US counties

664 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
98933Harrah7.0 mi$314,000$1,380*5.3%-$1,059
98902Yakima9.9 mi$299,000$1,2334.9%-$1,108
98953Zillah13.4 mi$380,000$1,510*4.8%-$1,464
98952White Swan16.2 mi$315,000$1,400*5.3%-$1,310
98948Toppenish16.6 mi$277,000$1,300*5.6%-$910
98901Yakima16.7 mi$336,000$1,0823.9%-$1,510
98936Moxee16.8 mi$398,000$1,720*5.2%-$1,360
98923Cowiche17.4 mi$360,000$1,210*4.0%-$1,643

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

Every ZIP in Yakima CountyYakima, WA metroWashington

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Open the calculator for 98951

Questions

Is 98951 good for rental property?
On the typical home here, priced at $286,000 and renting for $1,210 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 -$1,036 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 98951?
Zillow does not publish a rent index for 98951. HUD's FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom here is $1,210, the 40th percentile of gross rents and the basis for Section 8 payment standards.
What is the property tax rate in 98951?
The effective property tax rate is about 0.81% of value (median taxes paid divided by median home value, Census ACS 2020 to 2024). On the typical $286,000 home that is about $2,325 a year. Your bill depends on the assessment and local exemptions.
What interest rate makes a rental in 98951 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 98951?
Over the 12 months to August 2026, the typical home value changed -0.8%.

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.