Side-by-side comparison of Daytona Beach, FL and Ocala, FL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Ocala has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.30% compared to Daytona Beach's 4.27%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $265,000 in Daytona Beach vs $245,000 in Ocala, while rents come in at $1,380/mo and $1,280/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Ocala is growing faster at 2.4% annually vs Daytona Beach's 1.5%. Daytona Beach leads on home value appreciation at 3.5% per year. Strong population growth typically translates to sustained rental demand and long-term price support.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.84% in Daytona Beach vs 0.82% in Ocala. Vacancy rates of 5.5% and 5.6% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Ocala edges out Daytona Beach on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.30%, Ocala's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Daytona Beach or Ocala.