Research

DSCR Investor Index: Modeled Rental Coverage by Metro

Name: NMC DSCR Investor Index
Creator: National Mortgage Center
License: https://nationalmortgagecenter.com/legal-disclosures

Typical metro home values often do not cover typical rents at a 20% down, 7.25% 30-year model. Use the table to see the rent gap — then run a specific property in the DSCR calculator or max loan walkthrough.

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NMC DSCR Investor Index

Modeled lender-style DSCR for 30 large U.S. metros using July 2026 typical home values and rents. This is a coverage comparison, not a ranked list of places to buy. Opportunity scores stay unpublished.

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Status: Published metro setMethodology 1.0Housing data as of 2026-07-31Updated 2026-09-15

Region

Default order is Zillow metro size rank, not a coverage ranking.

					Break-even rent	Rent for 1.25
New York, NY	$737,078	$3,627	5.91%	0.69	$5,233	$6,541
Los Angeles, CA	$964,934	$2,944	3.66%	0.47	$6,285	$7,856
Chicago, IL	$360,262	$2,253	7.50%	0.79	$2,857	$3,571
Dallas, TX	$364,793	$1,667	5.48%	0.57	$2,921	$3,651
Houston, TX	$307,772	$1,654	6.45%	0.66	$2,523	$3,154
Washington, DC	$579,812	$2,456	5.08%	0.64	$3,868	$4,835
Philadelphia, PA	$392,329	$1,925	5.89%	0.69	$2,810	$3,513
Miami, FL	$477,769	$2,677	6.72%	0.76	$3,528	$4,410
Atlanta, GA	$381,872	$1,855	5.83%	0.69	$2,686	$3,358
Boston, MA	$742,341	$3,165	5.12%	0.62	$5,082	$6,353
Phoenix, AZ	$445,924	$1,727	4.65%	0.59	$2,907	$3,634
San Francisco, CA	$1,136,810	$3,372	3.56%	0.46	$7,378	$9,222
Riverside, CA	$586,798	$2,547	5.21%	0.66	$3,880	$4,850
Detroit, MI	$270,370	$1,531	6.79%	0.76	$2,020	$2,525
Seattle, WA	$740,579	$2,282	3.70%	0.47	$4,856	$6,070
Minneapolis, MN	$394,711	$1,725	5.25%	0.61	$2,842	$3,552
San Diego, CA	$934,166	$3,008	3.86%	0.49	$6,089	$7,611
Tampa, FL	$361,634	$2,013	6.68%	0.72	$2,781	$3,476
Denver, CO	$566,529	$1,930	4.09%	0.51	$3,784	$4,730
Baltimore, MD	$405,069	$1,946	5.77%	0.70	$2,794	$3,493
St. Louis, MO	$277,434	$1,445	6.25%	0.70	$2,056	$2,570
Orlando, FL	$386,867	$1,959	6.08%	0.67	$2,943	$3,679
Charlotte, NC	$388,736	$1,756	5.42%	0.66	$2,678	$3,347
San Antonio, TX	$279,434	$1,425	6.12%	0.61	$2,326	$2,907
Portland, OR	$549,241	$1,810	3.95%	0.49	$3,659	$4,574
Sacramento, CA	$581,822	$2,296	4.74%	0.60	$3,849	$4,811
Pittsburgh, PA	$231,708	$1,499	7.77%	0.88	$1,710	$2,137
Cincinnati, OH	$311,116	$1,552	5.99%	0.68	$2,281	$2,852
Austin, TX	$424,339	$1,647	4.66%	0.49	$3,336	$4,170
Las Vegas, NV	$429,591	$1,747	4.88%	0.63	$2,788	$3,485

New York, NY

Home value: $737,078
Rent: $3,627
Rent / price: 5.91%
Modeled DSCR: 0.69
Break-even rent: $5,233
Rent for 1.25: $6,541

Los Angeles, CA

Home value: $964,934
Rent: $2,944
Rent / price: 3.66%
Modeled DSCR: 0.47
Break-even rent: $6,285
Rent for 1.25: $7,856

Chicago, IL

Home value: $360,262
Rent: $2,253
Rent / price: 7.50%
Modeled DSCR: 0.79
Break-even rent: $2,857
Rent for 1.25: $3,571

Dallas, TX

Home value: $364,793
Rent: $1,667
Rent / price: 5.48%
Modeled DSCR: 0.57
Break-even rent: $2,921
Rent for 1.25: $3,651

Houston, TX

Home value: $307,772
Rent: $1,654
Rent / price: 6.45%
Modeled DSCR: 0.66
Break-even rent: $2,523
Rent for 1.25: $3,154

Washington, DC

Home value: $579,812
Rent: $2,456
Rent / price: 5.08%
Modeled DSCR: 0.64
Break-even rent: $3,868
Rent for 1.25: $4,835

Philadelphia, PA

Home value: $392,329
Rent: $1,925
Rent / price: 5.89%
Modeled DSCR: 0.69
Break-even rent: $2,810
Rent for 1.25: $3,513

Miami, FL

Home value: $477,769
Rent: $2,677
Rent / price: 6.72%
Modeled DSCR: 0.76
Break-even rent: $3,528
Rent for 1.25: $4,410

Atlanta, GA

Home value: $381,872
Rent: $1,855
Rent / price: 5.83%
Modeled DSCR: 0.69
Break-even rent: $2,686
Rent for 1.25: $3,358

Boston, MA

Home value: $742,341
Rent: $3,165
Rent / price: 5.12%
Modeled DSCR: 0.62
Break-even rent: $5,082
Rent for 1.25: $6,353

Phoenix, AZ

Home value: $445,924
Rent: $1,727
Rent / price: 4.65%
Modeled DSCR: 0.59
Break-even rent: $2,907
Rent for 1.25: $3,634

San Francisco, CA

Home value: $1,136,810
Rent: $3,372
Rent / price: 3.56%
Modeled DSCR: 0.46
Break-even rent: $7,378
Rent for 1.25: $9,222

Riverside, CA

Home value: $586,798
Rent: $2,547
Rent / price: 5.21%
Modeled DSCR: 0.66
Break-even rent: $3,880
Rent for 1.25: $4,850

Detroit, MI

Home value: $270,370
Rent: $1,531
Rent / price: 6.79%
Modeled DSCR: 0.76
Break-even rent: $2,020
Rent for 1.25: $2,525

Seattle, WA

Home value: $740,579
Rent: $2,282
Rent / price: 3.70%
Modeled DSCR: 0.47
Break-even rent: $4,856
Rent for 1.25: $6,070

Minneapolis, MN

Home value: $394,711
Rent: $1,725
Rent / price: 5.25%
Modeled DSCR: 0.61
Break-even rent: $2,842
Rent for 1.25: $3,552

San Diego, CA

Home value: $934,166
Rent: $3,008
Rent / price: 3.86%
Modeled DSCR: 0.49
Break-even rent: $6,089
Rent for 1.25: $7,611

Tampa, FL

Home value: $361,634
Rent: $2,013
Rent / price: 6.68%
Modeled DSCR: 0.72
Break-even rent: $2,781
Rent for 1.25: $3,476

Denver, CO

Home value: $566,529
Rent: $1,930
Rent / price: 4.09%
Modeled DSCR: 0.51
Break-even rent: $3,784
Rent for 1.25: $4,730

Baltimore, MD

Home value: $405,069
Rent: $1,946
Rent / price: 5.77%
Modeled DSCR: 0.70
Break-even rent: $2,794
Rent for 1.25: $3,493

St. Louis, MO

Home value: $277,434
Rent: $1,445
Rent / price: 6.25%
Modeled DSCR: 0.70
Break-even rent: $2,056
Rent for 1.25: $2,570

Orlando, FL

Home value: $386,867
Rent: $1,959
Rent / price: 6.08%
Modeled DSCR: 0.67
Break-even rent: $2,943
Rent for 1.25: $3,679

Charlotte, NC

Home value: $388,736
Rent: $1,756
Rent / price: 5.42%
Modeled DSCR: 0.66
Break-even rent: $2,678
Rent for 1.25: $3,347

San Antonio, TX

Home value: $279,434
Rent: $1,425
Rent / price: 6.12%
Modeled DSCR: 0.61
Break-even rent: $2,326
Rent for 1.25: $2,907

Portland, OR

Home value: $549,241
Rent: $1,810
Rent / price: 3.95%
Modeled DSCR: 0.49
Break-even rent: $3,659
Rent for 1.25: $4,574

Sacramento, CA

Home value: $581,822
Rent: $2,296
Rent / price: 4.74%
Modeled DSCR: 0.60
Break-even rent: $3,849
Rent for 1.25: $4,811

Pittsburgh, PA

Home value: $231,708
Rent: $1,499
Rent / price: 7.77%
Modeled DSCR: 0.88
Break-even rent: $1,710
Rent for 1.25: $2,137

Cincinnati, OH

Home value: $311,116
Rent: $1,552
Rent / price: 5.99%
Modeled DSCR: 0.68
Break-even rent: $2,281
Rent for 1.25: $2,852

Austin, TX

Home value: $424,339
Rent: $1,647
Rent / price: 4.66%
Modeled DSCR: 0.49
Break-even rent: $3,336
Rent for 1.25: $4,170

Las Vegas, NV

Home value: $429,591
Rent: $1,747
Rent / price: 4.88%
Modeled DSCR: 0.63
Break-even rent: $2,788
Rent for 1.25: $3,485

View methodology

The Investor Index compares illustrative rental cash-flow coverage across major U.S. metros using Zillow typical home values and rents, state effective property-tax rates, NMC state insurance estimates, and the same lender-style DSCR model used on the calculator. Opportunity scores and ranked “best markets” are not published.

Inputs

Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) typical home value by metro, July 31, 2026
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) typical rent by metro, July 31, 2026
Tax Foundation 2026 effective property-tax rates (2024 ACS)
NMC state home-insurance estimates used on state housing pages
Illustrative DSCR loan: 20% down, 7.25% 30-year amortizing, 5% vacancy, $0 HOA

Outputs

Rent-to-price ratio
Modeled PITIA / debt service
Break-even rent for 1.00 DSCR
Rent required for 1.15 and 1.25 DSCR
Modeled lender-style DSCR at 20% / 25% / 30% down
Optional NMC DSCR Opportunity Score (0–100) — unpublished in this release

Opportunity scores remain unpublished. This table is a modeled coverage comparison, not a ranking of where to buy.

Typical metro home values and rents are not a specific rental property. Modeled figures are educational and not observed loan approvals, rate quotes, or investment advice. Tax and insurance use the Zillow metro StateName (Washington uses VA).

National Mortgage Center DSCR Investor Index (2026-09-15). Zillow ZHVI and ZORI metro series (2026-07-31), Tax Foundation 2026 effective property-tax rates (2024 ACS), and NMC state home-insurance estimates. Modeled at 20% down, 7.25% 30-year amortizing, 5% vacancy, $0 HOA.

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