Wood County presents a split case: Zillow’s 2026-06 median home value is $276,713, down 1.42% year over year, while FHFA’s separate annual 2025 repeat-transaction index is down 0.43% but up 50.81% over its supplied five-year interval. This is recent softness alongside earlier index appreciation, not a single growth rate. Investigate if seeking a lower entry point; be cautious if relying on immediate appreciation or dependable rent coverage. Market rent is not published, so gross yield cannot be computed; HUD’s $1,022 two-bedroom FMR is a payment standard, not asking rent.
Carrying costs remain incomplete. The effective property-tax rate is 0.88%; it cannot establish affordability or net yield without property-level insurance, repairs, vacancy, and financing. QCEW reports 10,731 annual average covered jobs in the county and an average covered-worker wage of $943. These are workplace jobs and covered-worker pay, not resident employment or a forecast. Trade, transportation, and utilities is the largest disclosed private supersector, not the whole economy.
Demand and competition are mixed. Tax-return movers produced net migration of 347 households, while average AGI for movers in exceeded movers out by $17,633; that is supportive income evidence, not proof of tenant demand or repeat migration. Realtor.com’s supplied MLS record shows 411 active listings, 67 median days on market, and price reductions on 26.4% of listings. These measure visible supply, marketing time, and seller concessions, not closed-sale prices or buyer demand. Investor purchases were 33 of 565 total purchases, or 5.84%, suggesting limited investor participation in this purchase record, not every transaction.
Risk limits are material. Modeled annual building-value loss is 0.09%, and inland flood is the dominant hazard; this is not an insurance quote or property-specific flood determination. Next checks: parcel elevation and flood-zone status, coverage, deductibles, claims history, market rent, vacancy, expenses, financing, and closed-sale comparables. The record lacks property condition, property-specific tax and insurance data, tenant-level demand, resident labor measures, and metro context, preventing a net-yield, cash-flow, or county-to-metro conclusion. Treat price weakness as a screening lead until flood and rent evidence are verified.