Palm Bay is a mid-range market in the South with a smaller market with 121,700 residents. At a 4.64% estimated cap rate, this is a moderate market where rents of $1,890/mo lag behind home prices. With a median home price of $340,000 and rapid population growth is driving housing demand, Palm Bay offers opportunities for investors who source deals carefully.
Market data powered by Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Updated Feb 2026
Palm Bay's 0.6% rent-to-price ratio is well below the 1% rule. At median prices of $340,000, the $1,890/mo rent produces only $1,314/mo in NOI. Investors here need to target below-median properties or pursue value-add strategies to make the numbers work.
At current rates, a 20% down conventional loan ($68K at 7%) would result in approximately $-495/mo cash flow — negative at median prices. Larger down payments, seller financing, or buying 15–25% below median are strategies to turn the numbers positive.
With 2.2% annual population growth paired with 3.6% home appreciation, Palm Bay offers a rare combination of current cash flow and future equity upside. The 15.0x gross rent multiplier suggests the market hasn't fully priced in this growth trajectory.
All figures below are computed from Palm Bay's real market medians. Use them as a baseline; override with property-specific numbers in the calculators.
At 0.88% effective rate on the $340,000 median price, the annual tax bill is $2,992 — that's near national average (-17% vs the national average of ~1.06%). Verify the actual assessed value before purchase; sale-triggered reassessments can push the bill higher than the seller's current statement.
If Palm Bay continues appreciating at 3.6%/yr while rents grow at a conservative 3%/yr, cap rate compresses as price growth outpaces rent. Year-by-year projection at the median:
| Year | Est. Price | Est. Rent/Mo | Cap Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | $340K | $1,890 | 4.6% |
| Year 1 | $352K | $1,947 | 4.6% |
| Year 2 | $365K | $2,005 | 4.6% |
| Year 3 | $378K | $2,065 | 4.6% |
| Year 4 | $392K | $2,127 | 4.5% |
| Year 5 | $406K | $2,191 | 4.5% |
Same median-priced Palm Bay property — different capital structures. All-cash maximizes cap rate. Leverage trades cash flow for higher cash-on-cash return when the spread between cap rate and borrowing cost is positive.
| Scenario | Cash Invested | Monthly Cash Flow | Annual CF | Cash-on-Cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All cash | $340K | $1,314 | $15,766 | 4.6% |
| 20% down conventional @ 7% | $78K | $-495 | $-5,940 | -7.6% |
| 25% down DSCR @ 8.5% | $99K | $-647 | $-7,765 | -7.9% |
Properties don't always trade at the median. Lower-priced units typically offer higher cap rates but harder operations; higher-priced properties tend to compress cap rates while attracting better tenants. All-cash assumptions below:
| Tier | Price | Rent/Mo | NOI/Yr | Cap Rate | Monthly CF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below median (~75% price) | $255K | $1,607 | $11,913 | 4.7% | $993 |
| At median | $340K | $1,890 | $13,497 | 4.0% | $1,125 |
| Above median (~125% price) | $425K | $2,174 | $15,091 | 3.6% | $1,258 |
Cap rate is just one piece. Real estate returns come from four sources: cash flow, appreciation, principal paydown, and tax benefits. Assuming 20% down conventional financing at 7% and a 5-year hold at Palm Bay's historical appreciation rate of 3.6%:
On a $68K down payment, that's a 83.0% total ROI over 5 years (not annualized). Tax benefits from depreciation are additional and depend on your personal tax bracket.
Automated checks against the underlying data — surface only the risks that actually apply to Palm Bay, not generic boilerplate:
Pre-filled with Palm Bay medians. Adjust to match a specific property.
Factor in financing to see your actual return on invested capital in Palm Bay.
Palm Bay, FL has a population of 121,700 and has been growing at 2.2% annually — well above the national average, signaling strong housing demand from population inflows. The median home price of $340,000 paired with median rents of $1,890/mo produces an estimated cap rate of 4.64%.
Property taxes at 0.88% fall within the national average range and shouldn't present unusual challenges. The vacancy rate of 5.3% is moderate and within normal parameters for a healthy rental market.
At a price-to-income ratio of 6.5x, homes cost about 6.5 times the local median income of $52,400. This elevated ratio means homeownership is stretched, supporting rental demand but limiting buyer pools. Home values have appreciated at roughly 3.6% annually. Above-average appreciation adds an equity component to total returns, though deals should still pencil on cash flow alone.
Bottom line: Palm Bay presents moderate opportunities. Cap rates near 4.64% mean deals need careful sourcing — look for value-add rehabs or emerging neighborhoods where rents are climbing.