Side-by-side comparison of Lima, OH and Marion, OH — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Marion has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.79% compared to Lima's 4.90%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $180,000 in Lima vs $170,000 in Marion, while rents come in at $1,170/mo and $1,240/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Lima is growing faster at 0.2% annually vs Marion's 0.2%. Lima leads on home value appreciation at 2.2% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.58% in Lima vs 1.58% in Marion. Vacancy rates of 6.7% and 6.7% are mixed — Marion has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Marion offers a lower entry at $170K vs Lima's $180K — a difference of $10K. With a 20% down payment, that's $34K vs $36K. Marion combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Marion edges out Lima on most key metrics. With a 5.79% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Lima or Marion.