Side-by-side comparison of Marion, OH and Norwalk, OH — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Norwalk has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 6.40% compared to Marion's 5.79%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $170,000 in Marion vs $185,000 in Norwalk, while rents come in at $1,240/mo and $1,450/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Marion is growing faster at 0.2% annually vs Norwalk's 0.2%. Marion leads on home value appreciation at 2.2% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.58% in Marion vs 1.58% in Norwalk. Vacancy rates of 6.7% and 6.7% are mixed — Norwalk has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Marion offers a lower entry at $170K vs Norwalk's $185K — a difference of $15K. With a 20% down payment, that's $34K vs $37K. Norwalk's higher price may be justified by better market fundamentals.
Bottom line: Norwalk edges out Marion on most key metrics. With a 6.40% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Marion or Norwalk.