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Auburn vs Daphne for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Auburn, AL and Daphne, AL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

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Auburn wins 3–0 across key metrics
Auburn leads on cash flow (4.20% vs 3.98% cap rate)
Metric
Auburn, AL
Daphne, AL
Est. Cap Rate
4.20%
3.98%
Median Home Price
$340,000
$365,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,640
$1,690
1% Rule
0.48%
0.46%
GRM
17.3x
18.0x
Price / Income
6.9x
7.4x
Property Tax Rate
0.42%
0.42%
Vacancy Rate
6.4%
6.4%
Population Growth
0.8% / yr
0.8% / yr
Annual Appreciation
2.3%
2.3%
Population
50,000
50,000
Median Income
$49,614
$49,614

Auburn vs Daphne: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Auburn has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.20% compared to Daphne's 3.98%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $340,000 in Auburn vs $365,000 in Daphne, while rents come in at $1,640/mo and $1,690/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.

Growth & appreciation: Auburn is growing faster at 0.8% annually vs Daphne's 0.8%. Auburn leads on home value appreciation at 2.3% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.42% in Auburn vs 0.42% in Daphne. Vacancy rates of 6.4% and 6.4% are mixed — Daphne has the tighter rental market.

Entry point: Auburn offers a lower entry at $340K vs Daphne's $365K — a difference of $25K. With a 20% down payment, that's $68K vs $73K. Auburn combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.

Bottom line: Auburn edges out Daphne on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.20%, Auburn's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Auburn or Daphne.

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Auburn, AL
4.20% cap rate · $340,000 median · $1,640/mo
Full analysis →
Daphne, AL
3.98% cap rate · $365,000 median · $1,690/mo
Full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Auburn or Daphne better for rental investing?
Auburn wins 3–0 across our 7 key metrics (cap rate, 1% rule, GRM, taxes, vacancy, growth, appreciation). Auburn's 4.20% cap rate and $340K median price offer both higher returns and a lower entry point.
What is the cap rate difference between Auburn and Daphne?
Auburn has a 4.20% cap rate vs Daphne's 3.98% — a difference of 0.22 percentage points. This is a relatively small difference — other factors like growth, taxes, and local market conditions may matter more. For context, the national average is 3.81%.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Daphne has lower property taxes at 0.42% vs 0.42%. On a $353K property, that's a difference of approximately $105/year in tax expense — money that goes directly to (or from) your cash flow.
Which city is growing faster?
Auburn is growing at 0.8% annually vs Daphne's 0.8%. Moderate growth provides stable demand. Auburn's appreciation rate of 2.3% also leads on home value growth.

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