Stone County presents a yield-versus-liquidity tension: Zillow’s county median home value was $329,575 in 2026-06, alongside measured median asking rent of $1,475 per month and a stated 5.37% gross yield before costs. The Zillow value measure rose year over year, while visible listing conditions warrant caution. This county merits investigation by investors who can verify unit-level rent, turnover and insurance costs, rather than buyers relying on headline appreciation or rapid resale.
That yield uses market asking rent, not HUD’s two-bedroom Fair Market Rent payment standard. Market rent is 59.8% above FMR by calculation; FMR cannot substitute for asking rent or produce a yield. The 0.47% effective property-tax rate is a carrying-cost input, but property-specific taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy and financing are not published, preventing a net-yield or cash-flow conclusion. FHFA’s repeat-transaction HPI rose 4.73% in 2025 and 67.18% cumulatively over five years; it is not a home value and cannot be averaged with Zillow’s 2026-06 change.
Realtor.com’s MLS evidence in 2026-06 signals visible marketing friction: 635 active listings, 87 median days on market, and price reductions on 22.73% of listings. These are asking-market supply, seller-concession and marketing-time measures—not closed prices or standalone proof of buyer demand. Tax-return data show net inbound migration and higher average income for inbound than outbound moving households. Investors made 84 of 537 purchases, or 15.64%, so they are present but not most recorded purchasers. In 2025, QCEW reported higher covered workplace employment and wages; leisure and hospitality was the largest disclosed private supersector. QCEW does not measure resident employment, unemployment or the whole economy.
Flood is the dominant hazard, and modeled annual building-value loss is 0.22%; that is a modeled expected-loss ratio, not a realized loss or an insurance quote. Missing property-level flood zone, elevation, claims, coverage and premiums prevent a full hazard-cost test. Missing closed-sale comparables, occupancy, lease terms, condition and operating expenses also prevent validation of exit value, durable rent and net income. County-level evidence cannot establish outcomes for an individual asset.