Eau Claire’s Zillow ZHVI typical home value is about $321,576, while ZORI typical observed monthly market rent is about $1,214. That produces a 4.5% gross yield before every operating cost. ZHVI is 4.77x ACS median household income, and annualized ZORI equals 21.6% of that income. This is a screening frame, not a property return: financing, taxes, insurance, repairs, vacancy, management and utilities can materially reduce cash yield.
Citywide, 45.6% of occupied housing is renter-occupied, and 3.8% of all housing units is vacant. Single-family structures account for 62.6% of units and large multifamily structures for 7.9%. ACS reports a $247,600 median home value and $1,045 median monthly gross rent. Those surveyed occupied-housing measures—gross rent includes selected utilities—are not the same measure or period as Zillow’s typical value and observed market rent and should not be blended.
The city rent-burden measure shows 40.8% of renters paying at least 30% of income toward gross rent. Population is 70,322 versus 68,187 across overlapping ACS five-year vintages, a 3.1% change that is not annualized and may reflect boundary changes. Median household income is $67,395; poverty is 14.3% and unemployment is 3.4%. Of vacant units, 34.8% are classified as for rent. These citywide survey signals describe demand constraints, tenure and stock composition; they cannot establish achievable rent, tenant quality, absorption, exact available inventory or property condition.
Chippewa County reports a county property-tax rate of 1.085%; Eau Claire County reports a county rate of 1.346%, so the county records should remain separate rather than be averaged. The Eau Claire, WI metro reports 2.9 months of supply, while metro employment changed -0.2% over its stated annual interval. The national Freddie Mac mortgage rate is 6.58%, a financing benchmark rather than a city borrowing quote.
Underwriting remains limited by aggregate and differently timed data. First verify which county contains the parcel because tax and market records differ. Then obtain address-specific asking price and lease comps; current rent roll, concessions and delinquency; taxes, insurance and flood or climate quotes; utility responsibility; inspection, roof and mechanical age; repair and capital budgets; legal use and permit history; and loan terms. Recalculate net operating income, debt service, cash reserves and break-even occupancy. Citywide vacancy and renter share cannot show whether a particular unit will lease quickly.