Side-by-side comparison of Mount Vernon, OH and Salem, OH — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Salem has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.35% compared to Mount Vernon's 2.79%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $275,000 in Mount Vernon vs $155,000 in Salem, while rents come in at $1,270/mo and $1,070/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Mount Vernon is growing faster at 0.2% annually vs Salem's 0.2%. Mount Vernon leads on home value appreciation at 2.2% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.58% in Mount Vernon vs 1.58% in Salem. Vacancy rates of 6.7% and 6.7% are mixed — Salem has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Salem offers a lower entry at $155K vs Mount Vernon's $275K — a difference of $120K. With a 20% down payment, that's $31K vs $55K. Salem combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Salem edges out Mount Vernon on most key metrics. With a 5.35% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Mount Vernon or Salem.