Maries County’s core tension is recent value appreciation against an unproven income return and a flood-sensitive carrying-cost profile. This is a county for investigators able to verify property income and insurance, while buyers needing a demonstrated yield should be cautious. Zillow’s county median home value was $260,160 in 2026-06, up 9.32% year over year. FHFA’s separately reported 2025 repeat-transaction HPI rose 5.29% annually. The measures point in the same direction, but they are different vintages and methods and must not be blended into one growth rate; FHFA does not value an individual house.
The effective property-tax rate is 0.51%, with a $1,115 median annual tax, providing a measured carrying-cost input. Market rent is not published, so gross yield cannot be computed. HUD’s $888 monthly two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is a payment standard, not an estimate of market asking rent, and cannot substitute for lease evidence. The supplied Realtor.com inventory record has no listing-price, active-listing, days-on-market, price-reduction, or pending data. That prevents conclusions about visible MLS supply, seller concessions, marketing time, or asking-price competition.
QCEW county workplace data show 1,398 annual covered jobs, while Trade, transportation, and utilities represents 30.80% of total private covered employment. This is covered employment at county workplaces, not resident employment or a measure of the whole economy. Net migration was negative 14 tax-return households, although inbound movers had average AGI $8,449 higher than outbound movers. That combination limits broad demand conclusions while identifying a difference in mover income. Investor participation was 15 of 89 purchases, or 16.85%; it shows non-occupant activity among recorded purchases, not cash-buyer activity or proof of buyer demand.
Inland flood is the dominant hazard, and the modeled annual building-value loss ratio is 0.19%. This is county-level modeled exposure rather than a parcel-specific loss estimate or insurance quote. Flood-zone status, elevation, prior claims, insurance terms, condition, repair needs, market rents, vacancy, operating costs, and closed-sale comparables are not published here. Their absence prevents yield, cap-rate, resale-liquidity, and property-level hazard underwriting.