Cities with the highest gross rental yield — annual rent as a percentage of median home value. Investor-friendly territory.
Gross yield > 10% is rare and concentrated in Rust Belt / Midwest cheap-housing markets. Often the cap rate after expenses is still 4-6%, which beats most other markets.
Caveats: cheap markets often have weaker appreciation, higher vacancy risk, and tougher tenant quality. Verify local fundamentals before underwriting.
1Detroit, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 645,70549Stable$76,488median home20.99%gross yield 2Youngstown, OHYoungstown-Warren-Boardman · pop 59,12375Rising$71,351median home18.46%gross yield 3Flint, MIFlint · pop 79,73557Stable$65,949median home18.06%gross yield 4Gary, INChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 67,55551Stable$92,113median home17.42%gross yield 5Jackson, MSJackson · pop 141,44935Cooling$88,100median home17.10%gross yield 6Lauderdale Lakes, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 37,33340Cooling$140,266median home16.80%gross yield 7Cleveland, OHCleveland-Elyria · pop 365,37958Stable$117,703median home14.53%gross yield 8Meridian, MSMeridian · pop 33,54946Cooling$112,872median home14.42%gross yield 9Camden, NJPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington · pop 71,74958Stable$148,029median home14.31%gross yield 10Inkster, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 25,10871Rising$110,236median home14.08%gross yield 11Danville, ILDanville · pop 27,98146Cooling$78,099median home13.12%gross yield 12Calumet City, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 34,85558Stable$154,661median home13.05%gross yield 13Port Arthur, TXBeaumont-Port Arthur · pop 55,79957Stable$127,175median home12.38%gross yield 14Bessemer, ALBirmingham-Hoover · pop 25,07948Stable$133,314median home12.07%gross yield 16Pine Bluff, ARPine Bluff · pop 38,78542Cooling$76,187median home11.42%gross yield 17Birmingham, ALBirmingham-Hoover · pop 196,35740Cooling$137,201median home11.39%gross yield 18Pontiac, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 62,52871Rising$140,712median home11.39%gross yield 19Decatur, ILDecatur · pop 68,76370Rising$104,867median home11.26%gross yield 20Baltimore, MDBaltimore-Columbia-Towson · pop 568,27154Stable$191,668median home11.02%gross yield 21Eastpointe, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 33,94370Rising$154,611median home10.94%gross yield 22Deerfield Beach, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 90,50750Stable$274,233median home10.86%gross yield 23New Iberia, LALafayette · pop 26,84933Cooling$148,904median home10.44%gross yield 24Dayton, OHDayton-Kettering · pop 136,34667Rising$138,867median home10.36%gross yield 25Toledo, OHToledo · pop 265,63871Rising$130,101median home10.35%gross yield 26Garden City, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 26,41065Rising$202,847median home10.35%gross yield 27Peoria, ILPeoria · pop 111,69670Rising$132,671median home10.35%gross yield 28Euclid, OHCleveland-Elyria · pop 48,42169Rising$146,798median home10.33%gross yield 29Montgomery, ALMontgomery · pop 195,81864Rising$151,721median home10.33%gross yield 30Lauderhill, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 76,62745Cooling$213,747median home10.30%gross yield 31Southgate, MIDetroit-Warren-Dearborn · pop 29,08167Rising$194,516median home10.23%gross yield 32Memphis, TNMemphis · pop 610,91947Cooling$147,306median home10.23%gross yield 33Rock Island, ILDavenport-Moline-Rock Island · pop 36,43457Stable$127,878median home10.23%gross yield 34Enid, OKEnid · pop 50,51964Rising$136,265median home10.21%gross yield 35Coconut Creek, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 59,72143Cooling$283,486median home10.13%gross yield 36Brownsville, TXBrownsville-Harlingen · pop 191,96773Rising$196,920median home10.12%gross yield 37Warren, OHYoungstown-Warren-Boardman · pop 38,68379Hot$125,835median home10.07%gross yield 38Chicago Heights, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 26,53360Stable$171,137median home10.03%gross yield 39Atlantic City, NJAtlantic City-Hammonton · pop 38,95976Rising$215,691median home10.02%gross yield 40Granite City, ILSt. Louis · pop 26,85456Stable$113,227median home10.02%gross yield 41Muskogee, OKMuskogee · pop 36,84962Rising$143,065median home10.01%gross yield 42Monroe, LAMonroe · pop 46,62254Stable$153,147median home9.91%gross yield 43Balch Springs, TXDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington · pop 27,30745Cooling$225,038median home9.91%gross yield 44Abilene, TXAbilene · pop 130,50175Rising$214,916median home9.78%gross yield 45Delray Beach, FLMiami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach · pop 70,14054Stable$339,538median home9.77%gross yield 46Ardmore, OKArdmore · pop 25,06463Rising$155,196median home9.73%gross yield 47Akron, OHAkron · pop 189,66469Rising$140,512median home9.70%gross yield 48Florissant, MOSt. Louis · pop 51,29063Rising$194,018median home9.68%gross yield 49Hammond, INChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 76,03066Rising$174,813median home9.67%gross yield 50Alexandria, LAAlexandria · pop 43,13349Stable$142,254median home9.67%gross yield Gross yield = annual rent ÷ home value. Doesn’t account for vacancy, management, maintenance, taxes, insurance, or financing. Use /tools/roi/ for full net analysis.