Side-by-side comparison of Daphne, AL and Decatur, AL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Decatur has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.32% 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 $365,000 in Daphne vs $225,000 in Decatur, while rents come in at $1,690/mo and $1,110/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Daphne is growing faster at 0.8% annually vs Decatur's 0.8%. Daphne leads on home value appreciation at 2.3% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.42% in Daphne vs 0.42% in Decatur. Vacancy rates of 6.4% and 6.4% are mixed — Decatur has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Decatur offers a lower entry at $225K vs Daphne's $365K — a difference of $140K. With a 20% down payment, that's $45K vs $73K. Decatur combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Decatur edges out Daphne on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.32%, Decatur's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Daphne or Decatur.