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Akron vs Cleveland for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Akron, OH and Cleveland, OH — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

Akron wins 5–2 across key metrics
Akron leads on cash flow (5.16% vs 4.57% cap rate) · Cleveland leads on population growth
Metric
Akron, OH
Cleveland, OH
Est. Cap Rate
5.16%
4.57%
Median Home Price
$145,000
$175,000
Median Monthly Rent
$980
$1,100
1% Rule
0.68%
0.63%
GRM
12.3x
13.3x
Price / Income
3.6x
5.0x
Property Tax Rate
1.58%
1.63%
Vacancy Rate
7%
7.2%
Population Growth
-0.2% / yr
-0.1% / yr
Annual Appreciation
1.9%
2%
Population
190,469
372,624
Median Income
$39,800
$35,200

Akron vs Cleveland: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Akron has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.16% compared to Cleveland's 4.57%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $145,000 in Akron vs $175,000 in Cleveland, while rents come in at $980/mo and $1,100/mo respectively.

Growth & appreciation: Cleveland is growing faster at -0.1% annually, while Akron is losing population. Cleveland leads on home value appreciation at 2% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.58% in Akron vs 1.63% in Cleveland. Vacancy rates of 7% and 7.2% are mixed — Akron has the tighter rental market.

Bottom line: Akron edges out Cleveland on most key metrics. With a 5.16% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Akron or Cleveland.

Akron, OH
5.16% cap rate · $145,000 median · $980/mo
Full analysis →
Cleveland, OH
4.57% cap rate · $175,000 median · $1,100/mo
Full analysis →
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