Short answer: FirstDoor treats $200 a month or more per property, after the mortgage, taxes, insurance, HOA and budgets for vacancy, maintenance and management, as strong, and $0 to $199 as okay. Check it against cash invested too: 8%+ cash-on-cash is strong. At 7.32% with 20% down, only 3 of the 98 big US rental markets FirstDoor compared cash-flow on a median-priced home (Census ACS 2024).
Definition
Rental cash flow is the money a rental property leaves you each month after rent covers the mortgage, taxes, insurance, HOA and budgets for vacancy, maintenance and management. FirstDoor scores $200 a month or more as strong and $0 to $199 as okay.
By the numbers: Only 3 of the 98 big US rental markets FirstDoor compared cash-flow on a median-priced home at 7.32% with 20% down (Census ACS 2024; Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026). See all 100 markets.
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Type in a listing. The verdict updates as you go.
Starts at the US median home ($360,600) and 3-bed rent ($1,677/mo), Census ACS 2024, at Freddie Mac's 7.32% rate. Assumes tax at 0.89% of price (US median), $1,200/yr insurance, 3% closing costs, 5% vacancy, 5% maintenance and 8% management. Adjust all of these in the full calculator.
The short answer
Good cash flow is money left over every month after every cost: the mortgage, taxes, insurance, HOA and realistic budgets for vacancy, maintenance and management. FirstDoor scores $200 a month or more per property as strong, $0 to $199 as okay, and anything negative as weak.
Dollars alone are not enough. $200 a month on $23,000 of cash in is a 10.4% cash-on-cash return; the same $200 on $212,000 is 1.1%. FirstDoor treats 8%+ cash-on-cash as strong and 4% to 8% as okay.
At today's rate, good cash flow is rare at the median price. Across the 98 big US rental markets FirstDoor compared, only 3 (Detroit, MI, Cleveland, OH and Toledo, OH) cash-flow on a median-priced home renting for the median 3-bedroom rent with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026). The median city loses about $972 a month.
Good to know: This is educational, not investment advice. Cash flow here is before income tax and ignores appreciation and loan paydown, the same way FirstDoor's score does.
How to calculate monthly cash flow
Start with rent and subtract everything the property costs you each month:
Cash flow = rent − vacancy − maintenance − management − tax/12 − insurance/12 − HOA − principal & interestFirstDoor budgets 5% of rent for vacancy, 5% for maintenance and 8% for management by default, even if you plan to self-manage, because your time and the next repair are real costs. Rent minus operating costs is net operating income (NOI); NOI minus the mortgage is cash flow.
Tip: Run any listing in the free rental cash flow calculator. To work backward from the rent you need, use the break-even rent calculator.
Benchmarks: what counts as good
Common rules of thumb, and how FirstDoor uses them:
- $200+ a month per property: strong. Enough cushion to absorb a vacant month or a surprise repair within a year without paying out of pocket. Full points in FirstDoor's score.
- $0 to $199: okay. It pays for itself on paper, but one bad month wipes out a year. Partial points.
- Below $0: weak. You are paying every month to own it. No points for cash flow, whatever the appreciation story.
- $100 per door is a rule of thumb many investors quote for small multifamily. Treat it as a floor, not a goal, and only after full expense budgets.
Then check it against cash in. These two deals both make about $200 a month at 7.32%:
| Deal | Cash flow / mo | Cash invested | Cash-on-cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 home, 20% down, $1,188/mo rent | $200 | $23,000 | 10.4% |
| $400,000 home, 50% down, $2,651/mo rent | $200 | $212,000 | 1.1% |
Illustrative deals; taxes, insurance and expense budgets are listed in the calculator when you open a row.
Red flag: A pro forma showing great cash flow with 0% vacancy, 0% maintenance and no management. Add FirstDoor's 18% of rent back in and many "cash-flowing" deals go negative.
Cash flow on a median home in 98 cities
Each city's median-priced home renting for the city's median 3-bedroom gross rent, 20% down at 7.32% for 30 years, the city's median property tax, $1,200 a year insurance (assumed), 5% vacancy, 5% maintenance, 8% management and 3% closing costs. Sorted by monthly cash flow.
| # | City | Median value | 3-bed rent / mo | Cash flow / mo | Cash in | Cash-on-cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit, MI | $95,900 | $1,255 | $284 | $22,057 | 15.5% |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $109,600 | $1,105 | $63 | $25,208 | 3.0% |
| 3 | Toledo, OH | $122,600 | $1,146 | $17 | $28,198 | 0.7% |
| 4 | Pittsburgh, PA | $220,400 | $1,630 | −$120 | $50,692 | -2.8% |
| 5 | Birmingham, AL | $189,800 | $1,303 | −$173 | $43,654 | -4.7% |
| 6 | Rochester, NY | $164,300 | $1,315 | −$182 | $37,789 | -5.8% |
| 7 | Memphis, TN | $209,800 | $1,418 | −$252 | $48,254 | -6.3% |
| 8 | Buffalo, NY | $187,000 | $1,217 | −$257 | $43,010 | -7.2% |
| 9 | Lubbock, TX | $223,600 | $1,583 | −$283 | $51,428 | -6.6% |
| 10 | Corpus Christi, TX | $234,000 | $1,616 | −$328 | $53,820 | -7.3% |
| 11 | Gainesville, FL | $270,800 | $1,789 | −$335 | $62,284 | -6.4% |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $253,600 | $1,573 | −$379 | $58,328 | -7.8% |
| 13 | Wichita, KS | $212,900 | $1,310 | −$392 | $48,967 | -9.6% |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $214,500 | $1,275 | −$416 | $49,335 | -10.1% |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $261,600 | $1,641 | −$425 | $60,168 | -8.5% |
| 16 | Tulsa, OK | $234,400 | $1,371 | −$437 | $53,912 | -9.7% |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $241,500 | $1,406 | −$462 | $55,545 | -10.0% |
| 18 | Baltimore, MD | $247,400 | $1,569 | −$462 | $56,902 | -9.7% |
| 19 | San Antonio, TX | $260,900 | $1,707 | −$470 | $60,007 | -9.4% |
| 20 | El Paso, TX | $209,600 | $1,319 | −$477 | $48,208 | -11.9% |
| 21 | Milwaukee, WI | $207,900 | $1,273 | −$499 | $47,817 | -12.5% |
| 22 | Tucson, AZ | $299,700 | $1,688 | −$511 | $68,931 | -8.9% |
| 23 | Oklahoma City, OK | $259,300 | $1,479 | −$518 | $59,639 | -10.4% |
| 24 | Louisville, KY | $241,700 | $1,294 | −$537 | $55,591 | -11.6% |
| 25 | Cincinnati, OH | $263,300 | $1,588 | −$557 | $60,559 | -11.0% |
| 26 | Columbus, OH | $279,900 | $1,672 | −$564 | $64,377 | -10.5% |
| 27 | Norfolk, VA | $311,200 | $1,805 | −$590 | $71,576 | -9.9% |
| 28 | Omaha, NE | $269,500 | $1,658 | −$593 | $61,985 | -11.5% |
| 29 | Tallahassee, FL | $294,500 | $1,592 | −$615 | $67,735 | -10.9% |
| 30 | Houston, TX | $301,200 | $1,819 | −$623 | $69,276 | -10.8% |
| 31 | Winston-Salem, NC | $281,200 | $1,445 | −$639 | $64,676 | -11.9% |
| 32 | Jacksonville, FL | $325,300 | $1,767 | −$647 | $74,819 | -10.4% |
| 33 | New Orleans, LA | $305,100 | $1,624 | −$670 | $70,173 | -11.4% |
| 34 | Irving, TX | $349,800 | $2,123 | −$674 | $80,454 | -10.0% |
| 35 | Greensboro, NC | $290,200 | $1,495 | −$679 | $66,746 | -12.2% |
| 36 | Fort Worth, TX | $330,500 | $1,964 | −$727 | $76,015 | -11.5% |
| 37 | Knoxville, TN | $294,700 | $1,379 | −$728 | $67,781 | -12.9% |
| 38 | Arlington, TX | $337,800 | $1,887 | −$780 | $77,694 | -12.0% |
| 39 | Lexington, KY | $318,400 | $1,570 | −$782 | $73,232 | -12.8% |
| 40 | St. Petersburg, FL | $436,200 | $2,351 | −$801 | $100,326 | -9.6% |
| 41 | Lincoln, NE | $278,200 | $1,403 | −$814 | $63,986 | -15.3% |
| 42 | Albuquerque, NM | $324,600 | $1,550 | −$844 | $74,658 | -13.6% |
| 43 | Hialeah, FL | $446,800 | $2,326 | −$848 | $102,764 | -9.9% |
| 44 | Dallas, TX | $340,400 | $1,856 | −$861 | $78,292 | -13.2% |
| 45 | Orlando, FL | $430,200 | $2,293 | −$869 | $98,946 | -10.5% |
| 46 | St. Paul, MN | $301,800 | $1,475 | −$896 | $69,414 | -15.5% |
| 47 | Virginia Beach, VA | $403,200 | $2,019 | −$931 | $92,736 | -12.1% |
| 48 | Mesa, AZ | $440,800 | $2,076 | −$949 | $101,384 | -11.2% |
| 49 | Fresno, CA | $396,300 | $1,902 | −$959 | $91,149 | -12.6% |
| 50 | Spring Valley, NV | $440,200 | $2,095 | −$985 | $101,246 | -11.7% |
| 51 | Phoenix, AZ | $454,900 | $2,142 | −$995 | $104,627 | -11.4% |
| 52 | Nashville, TN | $438,800 | $2,064 | −$1,025 | $100,924 | -12.2% |
| 53 | Bakersfield, CA | $406,500 | $1,986 | −$1,028 | $93,495 | -13.2% |
| 54 | Chicago, IL | $341,200 | $1,661 | −$1,042 | $78,476 | -15.9% |
| 55 | Minneapolis, MN | $368,300 | $1,748 | −$1,063 | $84,709 | -15.1% |
| 56 | Aurora, CO | $494,600 | $2,397 | −$1,068 | $113,758 | -11.3% |
| 57 | Charlotte, NC | $431,900 | $1,969 | −$1,107 | $99,337 | -13.4% |
| 58 | Las Vegas, NV | $458,300 | $2,067 | −$1,109 | $105,409 | -12.6% |
| 59 | Richmond, VA | $377,900 | $1,682 | −$1,118 | $86,917 | -15.4% |
| 60 | Colorado Springs, CO | $479,500 | $2,145 | −$1,135 | $110,285 | -12.3% |
| 61 | Durham, NC | $439,400 | $1,989 | −$1,167 | $101,062 | -13.9% |
| 62 | Worcester, MA | $411,700 | $1,892 | −$1,225 | $94,691 | -15.5% |
| 63 | Tempe, AZ | $488,600 | $2,072 | −$1,244 | $112,378 | -13.3% |
| 64 | Stockton, CA | $456,800 | $2,000 | −$1,255 | $105,064 | -14.3% |
| 65 | Raleigh, NC | $450,300 | $1,909 | −$1,280 | $103,569 | -14.8% |
| 66 | Henderson, NV | $520,400 | $2,253 | −$1,328 | $119,692 | -13.3% |
| 67 | Newark, NJ | $396,600 | $1,811 | −$1,351 | $91,218 | -17.8% |
| 68 | Tampa, FL | $494,400 | $2,176 | −$1,369 | $113,712 | -14.4% |
| 69 | Madison, WI | $418,400 | $1,876 | −$1,409 | $96,232 | -17.6% |
| 70 | Atlanta, GA | $462,200 | $1,918 | −$1,456 | $106,306 | -16.4% |
| 71 | Sacramento, CA | $515,800 | $2,170 | −$1,480 | $118,634 | -15.0% |
| 72 | Providence, RI | $413,800 | $1,525 | −$1,483 | $95,174 | -18.7% |
| 73 | Tacoma, WA | $500,500 | $2,144 | −$1,484 | $115,115 | -15.5% |
| 74 | Reno, NV | $567,700 | $2,224 | −$1,599 | $130,571 | -14.7% |
| 75 | Plano, TX | $541,700 | $2,366 | −$1,653 | $124,591 | -15.9% |
| 76 | Riverside, CA | $616,400 | $2,507 | −$1,729 | $141,772 | -14.6% |
| 77 | Denver, CO | $636,400 | $2,570 | −$1,746 | $146,372 | -14.3% |
| 78 | Portland, OR | $588,200 | $2,364 | −$1,888 | $135,286 | -16.7% |
| 79 | Yonkers, NY | $521,700 | $2,128 | −$2,019 | $119,991 | -20.2% |
| 80 | Miami, FL | $598,200 | $2,179 | −$2,027 | $137,586 | -17.7% |
| 81 | Austin, TX | $571,000 | $2,217 | −$2,042 | $131,330 | -18.7% |
| 82 | Alexandria, VA | $704,200 | $2,909 | −$2,135 | $161,966 | -15.8% |
| 83 | Jersey City, NJ | $571,700 | $2,249 | −$2,158 | $131,491 | -19.7% |
| 84 | Salt Lake City, UT | $620,100 | $1,747 | −$2,312 | $142,623 | -19.5% |
| 85 | Washington, DC | $733,400 | $2,567 | −$2,408 | $168,682 | -17.1% |
| 86 | Santa Ana, CA | $772,600 | $2,602 | −$2,554 | $177,698 | -17.3% |
| 87 | Boston, MA | $722,800 | $2,153 | −$2,677 | $166,244 | -19.3% |
| 88 | Honolulu, HI | $850,100 | $2,425 | −$3,006 | $195,523 | -18.4% |
| 89 | Long Beach, CA | $849,500 | $2,676 | −$3,051 | $195,385 | -18.7% |
| 90 | New York, NY | $778,600 | $2,094 | −$3,217 | $179,078 | -21.6% |
| 91 | Anaheim, CA | $892,200 | $2,718 | −$3,233 | $205,206 | -18.9% |
| 92 | Arlington, VA | $945,700 | $3,306 | −$3,325 | $217,511 | -18.3% |
| 93 | San Diego, CA | $980,700 | $3,052 | −$3,496 | $225,561 | -18.6% |
| 94 | Seattle, WA | $950,800 | $2,951 | −$3,530 | $218,684 | -19.4% |
| 95 | Oakland, CA | $884,000 | $2,474 | −$3,654 | $203,320 | -21.6% |
| 96 | Los Angeles, CA | $947,900 | $2,564 | −$3,719 | $218,017 | -20.5% |
| 97 | Glendale, CA | $1,182,800 | $2,691 | −$4,960 | $272,044 | -21.9% |
| 98 | San Jose, CA | $1,271,200 | $3,368 | −$5,115 | $292,376 | -21.0% |
| United States | $360,600 | $1,677 | −$974 | $82,938 | -14.1% |
1 of 98 city clears FirstDoor's $200 strong mark at the median price, and 6 more lose less than $300 a month, close enough that a below-median price or a bigger down payment can flip them.
Good to know: These are citywide survey medians with margins of error, and the median rental and median owner-occupied home are different houses. ACS gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. ACS reports rents above $3,500 only as "$3,500+", so San Francisco, CA, Irvine, CA are left out, and taxes above $10,000 are capped at $10,000. Each city page uses its own insurance estimate, so its figures can differ slightly.
How to get a deal to good cash flow
On the US median home ($360,600, Census ACS 2024) renting for the median 3-bedroom rent ($1,677/mo), cash flow is about −$974 a month with 20% down at 7.32%. There are only three levers:
- Rent. It would need to be about $2,865 to break even and $3,109 to reach $200 a month. Check that against real rent comps, not hope.
- Price. At the same rent, the price would need to be about $204,000 to break even and $172,000 for $200 a month. The max offer calculator solves this for any listing.
- Down payment. About 59% down reaches $0. About 67% down reaches $200. A bigger down payment buys cash flow but lowers your return on each dollar.
| Scenario (US median home) | Cash flow / mo | Cash in | Cash-on-cash | DSCR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US median home, 20% down at 7.32% | −$974 | $82,938 | -14.1% | 0.51 |
| Rent raised to $2,865/mo (break-even) | $0 | $82,938 | 0.0% | 1.00 |
| Rent raised to $3,109/mo | $200 | $82,938 | 2.9% | 1.10 |
| Price cut to $172,000 | $202 | $39,560 | 6.1% | 1.21 |
| 59% down | −$8 | $223,572 | -0.0% | 0.99 |
| All cash (100% down) | $1,008 | $371,418 | 3.3% | inf |
Click a row to open that scenario in the calculator. Other paths beginners use: house hacking a 2–4 unit with a low down payment, or a BRRRR deal bought below value.
Tip: Judge the deal at today's rate. "Refinance later" is a bet on rates, not part of the cash flow.
Worked example
The US median home ($360,600, Census ACS 2024) renting for the US median 3-bedroom gross rent ($1,677/mo). 20% down at 7.32% for 30 years (Freddie Mac average, October 22, 2026), the US median property tax ($3,211/yr), $1,200/yr insurance (assumed), 5% vacancy, 5% maintenance, 8% management, closing costs assumed at 3% ($10,818).
| Rent / mo | $1,677 |
| Operating costs (/mo) | −$669 |
| Mortgage (P&I) | −$1,982 |
| Cash flow / mo | −$974 |
| Rent needed for $200/mo | $3,109 |
Frequently asked questions
What is good cash flow on a rental property?
FirstDoor treats $200 a month or more per property, after the mortgage, taxes, insurance, HOA and budgets for vacancy, maintenance and management, as strong, and $0 to $199 as okay. Check it against cash invested too: 8%+ cash-on-cash is strong. At 7.32% with 20% down, only 3 of the 98 big US rental markets FirstDoor compared cash-flow on a median-priced home (Census ACS 2024).
Is $100 a month good cash flow on a rental?
It is positive, which is better than most median-priced homes at today's rates, but thin. One vacant month or a $1,200 repair erases a year of it. FirstDoor scores $0 to $199 as okay and $200+ as strong, and it only counts after full expense budgets.
How do you calculate rental cash flow?
Rent minus vacancy, maintenance and management allowances, property tax, insurance, HOA and the mortgage principal and interest. FirstDoor defaults to 5% vacancy, 5% maintenance and 8% management. The free rental cash flow calculator does the math for any listing.
Can a rental be a good deal with negative cash flow?
Some investors accept it and bet on appreciation, but you pay every month to hold it and need reserves to keep going. FirstDoor scores negative cash flow as weak. The US median home loses about $974 a month at 7.32% with 20% down.
How much cash flow per door is good?
For small multifamily, many investors quote $100 per door as a minimum. FirstDoor scores a whole property, and $200+ a month after every cost is its strong mark. Compare it with the cash you put in, not just the dollar amount.
Keep learning
Sources
Educational content, not financial advice. Loan programs and requirements change; confirm with a lender.