@Troy EgarOne way of beginning to gain an understanding of your market it by looking at the relevant data.Data sources such as the American Community Survey, also known as the annual Census, can help you judge a location by considering key market indicators, which I list below.Some of the metrics that I find valuable to understand are:- Population Total- Population Age - Home Values- Household Incomes- Rental Vacancy Rate- Homeowner Vacancy Rate- Poverty Rate- Educational Attainment Rate (High School/GED & Bachelors)- Number of Housing Unit- Rent to Income Ratio- Rent to Price Ratio- Population on SNAPS (supplemental nutrition assistance program) percentage- Property Tax Rate- Median Age of Buildings- Number of Structures by Units (SFR, Duplex, Triplex, Quadplex, etc...)- Median Rents by Number of Bedrooms- Unemployment Rate- Employment Sectors Percentages- Number of Building Permits Issued- Foreclosure Rate- School Ratings- Crime Statistics Also take into consideration the direction in which each of these market indicators are trending.

I suggest targeting a few cities, which you can select by looking at the relevant data.Data sources such as the American Community Survey, also known as the annual Census, can help you judge a location by considering key market indicators, which I list below.Some of the metrics that I find valuable to understand are:- Population Total- Population Age - Home Values- Household Incomes- Rental Vacancy Rate- Homeowner Vacancy Rate- Poverty Rate- Educational Attainment Rate (High School/GED & Bachelors)- Number of Housing Unit- Rent to Income Ratio- Rent to Price Ratio- Population on SNAPS (supplemental nutrition assistance program) percentage- Property Tax Rate- Median Age of Buildings- Number of Structures by Units (SFR, Duplex, Triplex, Quadplex, etc...)- Median Rents by Number of Bedrooms- Unemployment Rate- Employment Sectors Percentages- Number of Building Permits Issued- Foreclosure Rate- School Ratings- Crime Statistics Also take into consideration the direction in which each of these market indicators are trending.

This resource I put together may help with your search: Link to Home Values by City SpreadsheetIt lists the median home values for all major cities in the country as well as some other ancillary metrics.If you are looking for a cash flow market with some appreciation I suggest looking at moderately priced markets with positive population growth.   

It is still safe and home to growing business professional population.

Hi @Jake Mahaffey, welcome to Bigger Pockets forums and the great folks that populate it!  

If we take a look at the ratio between median home values and median household incomes for all incorporated places over 10k in population a clear pattern emerges. 

The properties I'm looking at right now are located in a place called Prince Rupert, in BC, Canada, which has a small population but has several key projects going on which keeps jobs and people flowing through the city.

Rents seem comparable, maybe a little higher in San Antonio, and we have a much lower unemployment rate and a growing population.

Forsyth County is projected to have its population double in size by 2050.

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