Here are a few things you can try that helped me check your local news paper for rentals, backpage.com, nifty nickel if there is one in your area, a local listing agent that can look up rentals on the MLS, and a property management company may also be able to offer some assistance. 

A sign in the yard and we placed an ad in local newspaper.

My local Board actually publishes this info in a newspaper flyer every month.

I took my lap top just in case.. the lodge said no internet but lo and behold there it was wi fi.. there was no cell service though so that was good.. the guys I were fishing with  were retired fully  one owned car dealerships one a newspaper and one a Lumber mill.. their big interest after fishing was to check who was doing well in the golf tourne and other sports pursuits..

Quote from @Luka Milicevic: I wasn't alive back then, but I saw old newspaper clippings on CDs and I feel like the smartest investment back then was just to park your money in the bank, in CDs and in US T bills.

You may not be able to get the full feel of the area with one visit.The one(s) that seem like moneymakers for you, maybe visit with no appointments two or three more times (not in the snow season) and just be a fly on the wall.Visit the grocery store parking lots and fast foods of the areas you like--see who is shopping, are their carts filled to the brim or is it small amounts of food--like they must eat out a lot.Stay in a (m)otel on the fringe of the area, eat on the restaurants the locals eat in (if they are not too dangerous).Go on line and watch their nightly local news, and read their local newspaper online.Talk to local Realtors about A, B C and D areas.Get the Feel for the place, for instance doing business in Chicago (in my opinion) is like falling off a log vs doing business in some other mid-western areas (the locals seem to make it easy and have good attitudes).Other areas the local governments make everything a PITA, with this inspection and that inspection, and local rules and regs as well as eviction feet dragging.

Okay, I just found a report from our local newspaper, The Toledo Blade. 

And like I said before, you pretty much telegraphed who you were when you made the cheap McCarthist "communist" comment.

Then I fill out a form with DOT and provide proof of the newspaper notices.

@Bill Brandt when looking at news paper articles of dog attacks there are 2 head lines; 'Dog attack...' and '...attacked by pittbull.'