Side-by-side comparison of Lock Haven, PA and New Castle, PA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: New Castle has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 6.12% compared to Lock Haven's 3.22%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $190,000 in Lock Haven vs $155,000 in New Castle, while rents come in at $910/mo and $1,140/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Lock Haven is growing faster at 0.2% annually vs New Castle's 0.2%. Lock Haven leads on home value appreciation at 2.3% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.38% in Lock Haven vs 1.38% in New Castle. Vacancy rates of 6% and 6% are mixed — New Castle has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: New Castle offers a lower entry at $155K vs Lock Haven's $190K — a difference of $35K. With a 20% down payment, that's $31K vs $38K. New Castle combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: New Castle edges out Lock Haven on most key metrics. With a 6.12% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Lock Haven or New Castle.