The Best Markets to Buy Rental Properties Right Now (2026 UPDATE)

Episode #1227 Try REsimpli, The Only All-In-One Real Estate Investor CRM Software That Helps You Manage Data, Marketing, Sales, and Operations: https://resimpli.com/biggerpockets/ *If we could invest in real estate anywhere in the country, where would we put our money?* It’s a new year, and markets have already shifted, changing where the best buying opportunities are. So today, Ashley Kehr (from the _Real Estate Rookie_ podcast), Henry, and Dave are back to share their updated 2026 best places to buy rental property list! These markets span multiple states, but many have *affordable home prices* (some even below $200K!). But of these top markets, which one would we make the biggest bet on? These markets fly under the radar—we’re not talking about big cities like Miami, Austin, Chicago, or Denver. Many of these may be real estate markets you’ve only heard of once or twice, but once you hear the numbers, you might take a deeper look. *If you want cash-flowing cities with landlord-friendly laws, we have them.* If you want appreciation potential in affordable pockets of the country, we’ve got that, too. And, if you want to buy a rental in the birthplace of Mountain Dew, you’re in luck. Each of these cities is broken down into metrics that matter most to investors: average home price, rent price, rent-to-price ratio, population growth, job growth, and more. *These aren’t just “cheap” markets with low home prices, but “sleeper” cities that only the savviest investors know about.* Did your market make the list? Let us know in the comments below! Episode Show Notes: https://lnk.to/biggerpocketsYT Join BiggerPockets for FREE 👇 https://www.biggerpockets.com/signup?utm_source=owned_media 🎉Join us at the BiggerPockets Conference October 2-4 in Orlando. Buy tickets: https://biggerpockets.com/bpcon2026 Let Us Know What You Thought of the Show! https://www.BiggerPockets.com/Podcastfeedback Grab Henry’s Book, _Real Estate Deal Maker_ : https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/real-estate-deal-maker?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Sign Up for the BiggerPockets Real Estate Newsletter: https://www.biggerpockets.com/email-subscribe?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area: http://biggerpockets.com/agentmatch Hear Ashley on The _Real Estate Rookie_ Podcast: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcasts/real-estate-rookie?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Ashley: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/ashkehr?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Henry: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/henryw22?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Dave: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/davem27?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none 00:00 Intro 01:44 1. Cash-Flowing College Town 05:18 2. Hurricane-Safe Florida City!? 09:07 3. Affordable “Sleeper” Market 12:17 Sponsor: REsimpli! 12:56 4. High-Revenue Airbnb Market 15:24 5. Small Multifamilies and Mountain Dew 17:46 6. Solid Market in Overlooked State 21:39 7. Affordable City Split In Two 24:57 8. Homes for $160K!? 29:11 9. Huge Job Boost Incoming