Best US cities to house-hack

Home·Best of·Best US cities to house-hack (live-in rental property)

Cities where buying a small multi-unit (or rent-by-room) covers your mortgage — 7%+ gross rental yield AND livable scale.

House-hacking = owning the property you live in while renting out other units/rooms to cover the mortgage.

Math: 7%+ gross yield AND home value under $350K AND pop 50K-1M AND momentum 50+. These cities have actual rental demand at prices first-time buyers can finance.

1Youngstown, OHYoungstown-Warren-Boardman · pop 59,12375Rising18.5%gross yield
2Flint, MIFlint · pop 79,73557Stable18.1%gross yield
3Gary, INChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 67,55551Stable17.4%gross yield
4Cleveland, OHCleveland-Elyria · pop 365,37958Stable14.5%gross yield
5Camden, NJPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington · pop 71,74958Stable14.3%gross yield
6Port Arthur, TXBeaumont-Port Arthur · pop 55,79957Stable12.4%gross yield
7Pontiac, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 62,52871Rising11.4%gross yield
8Decatur, ILDecatur · pop 68,76370Rising11.3%gross yield
9Baltimore, MDBaltimore-Columbia-Towson · pop 568,27154Stable11.0%gross yield
10Deerfield Beach, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 90,50750Stable10.9%gross yield
11Dayton, OHDayton-Kettering · pop 136,34667Rising10.4%gross yield
12Toledo, OHToledo · pop 265,63871Rising10.4%gross yield
13Peoria, ILPeoria · pop 111,69670Rising10.4%gross yield
14Montgomery, ALMontgomery · pop 195,81864Rising10.3%gross yield
15Enid, OKEnid · pop 50,51964Rising10.2%gross yield
16Brownsville, TXBrownsville-Harlingen · pop 191,96773Rising10.1%gross yield
17Abilene, TXAbilene · pop 130,50175Rising9.8%gross yield
18Delray Beach, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 70,14054Stable9.8%gross yield
19Akron, OHAkron · pop 189,66469Rising9.7%gross yield
20Florissant, MOSt. Louis · pop 51,29063Rising9.7%gross yield
21Hammond, INChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 76,03066Rising9.7%gross yield
22Hartford, CTHartford-East Hartford-Middletown · pop 122,12970Rising9.6%gross yield
23Taylor, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 61,54467Rising9.4%gross yield
24Midwest City, OKOklahoma City · pop 58,50564Rising9.2%gross yield
25Anderson, INIndianapolis-Carmel-Anderson · pop 55,85174Rising9.1%gross yield
26Lawton, OKLawton · pop 90,02768Rising9.1%gross yield
27Beaumont, TXBeaumont-Port Arthur · pop 112,89352Stable9.0%gross yield
28St. Louis, MOSt. Louis · pop 279,69557Stable8.9%gross yield
29Syracuse, NYSyracuse · pop 146,09774Rising8.9%gross yield
30Lansing, MILansing-East Lansing · pop 114,33671Rising8.8%gross yield
31Wichita Falls, TXWichita Falls · pop 102,37265Rising8.7%gross yield
32Dearborn, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 106,37771Rising8.6%gross yield
33Lorain, OHCleveland-Elyria · pop 65,75173Rising8.6%gross yield
34Aurora, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 180,71069Rising8.5%gross yield
35Pharr, TXMcAllen-Edinburg-Mission · pop 81,14259Stable8.5%gross yield
36Gulfport, MSGulfport-Biloxi · pop 74,62167Rising8.5%gross yield
37Scranton, PAScranton–Wilkes-Barre · pop 75,90565Rising8.5%gross yield
38Warner Robins, GAWarner Robins · pop 86,19975Rising8.4%gross yield
39Cuyahoga Falls, OHAkron · pop 50,97972Rising8.4%gross yield
40Columbus, GAColumbus · pop 201,83064Rising8.4%gross yield
41Albany, GAAlbany · pop 66,70554Stable8.4%gross yield
42Mishawaka, INSouth Bend-Mishawaka · pop 51,02071Rising8.4%gross yield
43Springfield, ILSpringfield · pop 112,94972Rising8.4%gross yield
44St. Clair Shores, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 58,07766Rising8.3%gross yield
45Margate, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 60,65055Stable8.2%gross yield
46Waco, TXWaco · pop 146,60858Stable8.1%gross yield
47New Haven, CTNew Haven-Milford · pop 137,56273Rising8.1%gross yield
48Dearborn Heights, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 61,04067Rising8.1%gross yield
49Moore, OKOklahoma City · pop 63,84564Rising8.1%gross yield
50North Little Rock, ARLittle Rock-North Little Rock-Conway · pop 64,49860Stable8.1%gross yield

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