
California-Lexington Park, MD
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
3.26×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Maryland
- 3.39×-0.12
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.17
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
24.3%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Maryland
- 22.9%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
4.84%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Maryland
- 3.88%+0.96
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+0.49
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.31%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Maryland
- 0.04%+0.26
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.28
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
2.44
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Maryland
- 2.17+0.27
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
Unemployment
—
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Maryland
- 3.9%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
—
homeValues.yearOverYear
—
Median home value
$295,000
Labor market direction
Unemployment
—
Median household income
$90,438
What's being built
Total TTM
278
+15.8% YoY
Single-family
260
2–4 unit
8
5+ unit
10
All 1 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's County | 113,814 | $390,900 | $114,580 | 278 | +15.8% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★California | 113,814 | $90,438 | 3.26× | 4.84% | — | 2.44 | —% |
| Gettysburg, PA | 104,604 | $81,071 | — | — | +43.6% | — | 3.0% |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 129,480 | $85,474 | — | — | +51.4% | — | 5.5% |
| Wenatchee, WA | 122,265 | $79,007 | — | — | +46.9% | — | 5.6% |
| Bismarck, ND | 133,467 | $83,982 | — | — | +33.8% | — | 2.5% |
| Fairbanks, AK | 96,299 | $84,722 | — | — | +35.6% | — | 4.4% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+348
+0.31% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Charles County, MD | 536 |
| Calvert County, MD | 386 |
| Prince George's County, MD | 252 |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | 74 |
| San Diego County, CA | 72 |
| Virginia Beach city, VA | 53 |
Who lives in California
- Median age
- 37
- Bachelor's+
- 31.5%
- Owner-occupancy
- 70.8%
- Vacancy rate
- 9.2%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 41.0%
- Median household income
- $90,438
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.
