I would be into areas where the crime is not high, population has stable and mid-class income.

Growing population = More demand 2.

I'm doing some market research for long-distance investing, and it would be useful to have an easy way to get things like avg RTP, RTI, population growth, housing unit growth, tax rates, etc. for the markets I am exploring.

Below is a list of items that you should be able to populate to begin the feasibility study (The last few depend on your exit strategy, Rentals, For Sale, etc.).

We can't meet the current housing demand and our population is increasing by 950 a day as a state and 200 in our market region.  

- population growth?

You'll want to find an investor focused realtor/broker - not a residential/general one - who can lead you through rent demand and prices, population trends and more. 

Hello Everyone,What percentage of a city population do you want to be renting when you are considering buying rental properties? 

Less crime, more growth (population, jobs), and generally stronger deals. 

Now combine a decent yield with strong population growth in a top 10 city with a diverse economy and a low relative price point, and it's clear why San Antonio attracts so many out of state investors.