Upshur County presents an income-versus-price-validation question: asking rent supports initial screening, but the county’s price measures do not point in one direction. Zillow’s county median home value was $241,675 in 2026-06, down 0.38% year over year; FHFA’s 2025 repeat-transaction HPI rose 5.49%. FHFA is an appreciation index rather than a dollar home value, and its vintage and method do not match Zillow’s, so the measures cannot be blended. Investors who can verify asset-level rent and basis should investigate; buyers underwriting broad appreciation should be cautious.
Median market asking rent was $1,750 per month in 2026-06, with a published 8.69% gross yield before costs. That is measured asking-rent evidence; HUD FMR is a payment standard, not an estimate of asking rent or a substitute yield input. The effective property-tax rate of 1.19% and median annual tax of $1,993 make assessed value and the actual tax bill material to underwriting. Gross yield does not capture insurance, repairs, vacancy, financing, or property-specific assessments.
Realtor.com MLS evidence indicates less visible supply but does not establish buyer demand: active listings declined year over year, listing prices increased, median marketing time was 73 days, and 24.25% of listings had price reductions. Those are active-listing asking-market measures, not closed-sale prices. Migration was net positive by 264 tax-return households, with incoming average AGI $10,835 above outgoing; that supports tenant diligence, not a demand conclusion. Investor purchases were 10.92% of total purchases, indicating a participating non-owner cohort but not its strategy, cash flow, or future bid intensity.
Inland flood is the dominant hazard, and the supplied modeled climate-loss ratio is an annual building-value exposure rather than a property loss estimate; it must be tested against parcel elevation, flood zone, prior claims, insurance availability and deductibles. Annual QCEW data show covered jobs and covered-worker wages increased, while Trade, transportation, and utilities was the largest disclosed private supersector. QCEW measures workplaces in the county, not resident employment or unemployment. Missing closed-sale comparables, property-level expenses, lease terms, flood/insurance quotes, and vacancy data prevent a defensible net-yield, resale, and hazard-cost conclusion.