Rental yields are dropping in over half the country, home prices just hit a record $360,000, and institutional investors are dumping houses faster than you can say "cap rate." But don't panic, ATTOM found 10 counties where double-digit yields and rising wages make the rest of the market look like it's playing on easy mode. Turns out, the best deals in America aren't where the influencers are filming house tours.

Story: ATTOM just dropped its 2026 Single-Family Rental Market Report, and the headline is a bit of a buzzkill: rental yields are projected to decline in nearly 55% of the 341 counties analyzed. But buried in the data is a treasure map. ATTOM identified 18 "Single-Family Rental Growth" counties where wages are rising AND projected yields top 10%. The top spot? Saint Clair County, Illinois, clocking in at a juicy 14.5% gross rental yield. Mobile County, Alabama (13.6%) and Peoria County, Illinois (12.5%) round out the podium. Meanwhile, the national median home price hit a record $360,000, keeping would-be buyers stuck in the rental pool and padding landlord demand. Notably, wages outpaced rent growth in 63% of the counties studied, suggesting tenants can absorb current rates without maxing out.

So What? The macro story is tightening margins, but the micro story is opportunity. If you're hunting for acquisitions, the Midwest and parts of the South are flashing green. Double-digit yields with rising local wages are the investor equivalent of finding a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. These aren't glamorous coastal markets, but glamour doesn't cash flow. For property managers, the wage-growth data is reassuring: tenants in these counties are becoming more able to pay, not less, which means lower delinquency risk and more stable occupancy.

What’s Next? Keep an eye on ATTOM's mid-year update to see if these yield projections hold as home prices and rents shift through spring buying season. Watch local job market data in these top counties, especially Florence County, SC (5.7% wage growth) and Peoria, IL (4.6%), where economic momentum could either accelerate or cool. And with institutional investors offloading inventory (see below), some of these markets could see new acquisition opportunities at a discount.

Source: ATTOM

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