A rental property can look like a bargain right up until the roof needs replacing. That’s why the number I wanted to see in Freedom Debt Relief’s October 2026 housing market report was how much rent a typical home brings in compared with what it costs to buy.
Syracuse, New York, ranked first in the report, which compared 100 of the largest U.S. metro housing markets. It had the strongest projected home value growth through September 2027, at 5.2%, and an estimated 9.9% gross rental yield. But if the purchase price is your biggest hurdle, two other markets stand out. Wichita, Kansas, ranked second with a typical home value of about $223,000, and McAllen, Texas, had the lowest typical home value in the top 10 at just under $190,000. See the full Freedom Debt Relief report.
How the top 10 real estate markets compare
The study weighed projected home value growth and gross rental yield alongside past home price gains, rent growth, population and job growth, and competition among buyers. Gross rental yield is a year of asking rent divided by the typical home value, before expenses such as financing, taxes, insurance, repairs, and vacancies. The home value forecast runs through September 2027.
| Rank | Metro area | Forecast home value growth | Typical home value | Estimated gross rental yield | Monthly asking rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse, NY | 5.2% | $268,983 | 9.90% | $2,219 |
| 2 | Wichita, KS | 3.9% | $223,188 | 7.51% | $1,398 |
| 3 | Hartford, CT | 3.3% | $421,910 | 7.38% | $2,594 |
| 4 | Winston-Salem, NC | 2.4% | $280,723 | 7.73% | $1,809 |
| 5 | New Haven, CT | 2.8% | $433,257 | 8.13% | $2,935 |
| 6 | Rochester, NY | 4.2% | $281,678 | 9.09% | $2,134 |
| 7 | Charleston, SC | 1.0% | $439,170 | 7.04% | $2,575 |
| 8 | McAllen, TX | 0.9% | $189,962 | 11.10% | $1,756 |
| 9 | Omaha, NE | 2.8% | $307,731 | 7.79% | $1,996 |
| 10 | Boise City, ID | 3.3% | $493,649 | 5.68% | $2,336 |
1. Syracuse, New York
Syracuse led the study on both past and projected home price growth. Typical home values rose 48.1% since 2021, and the report projects another 5.2% gain through September 2027. With a typical home value of $268,983 and monthly asking rent of $2,219, Syracuse had the second-highest estimated gross rental yield among the metros studied.
2. Wichita, Kansas
Wichita’s typical home value was about $46,000 lower than Syracuse’s. Asking rent was lower too, at $1,398 a month, which put its estimated gross yield at 7.51%. What helped Wichita land in second place was growth. It ranked third among the markets studied for both its home value forecast and its pace of job growth.
3. Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford’s typical home value rose from about $294,500 in 2021 to $421,910 in the report. Only Syracuse saw a bigger percentage gain over that period among the metros studied. Hartford’s asking rents also rose 5.7% over the previous year. The typical monthly asking rent was $2,594, with an estimated gross yield of 7.38%.
4. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Of course I had to see where North Carolina landed. Winston-Salem came in fourth with a typical home value of $280,723 and monthly asking rent of $1,809. The report found less competition for listings than in Wichita. The metro also added 6,869 residents in the year through July 2025, and payroll jobs grew 1.3% over a year.
5. New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven had the highest monthly asking rent in the top 10 at $2,935, up $149 from a year earlier. Its typical home value was higher than Hartford’s, but so was its estimated gross rental yield, at 8.13% versus 7.38%. If you’re comparing the two Connecticut markets, that difference is worth a closer look alongside the expenses for a specific property.
The number I’d run before making an offer
McAllen shows why it helps to look at both columns. It had the highest estimated gross yield in the top 10 at 11.1%, while its projected home value growth was 0.9%. Syracuse offered a stronger price forecast, but a typical home there cost about $79,000 more.
I’d use the metro rankings to make a shortlist. Then I’d run the numbers on an actual house, including the mortgage, taxes, insurance, repairs, and what it would cost to carry the place through a month without a tenant. The figure I’d want before making an offer is how much rent would be left after paying those bills.
Study and data credit goes to Freedom Debt Relief.
