Realtor.com® Reveals the Top Housing Markets for 2026

Rhea-AI Summary

Realtor.com (NYSE:NWS) released its annual Top Housing Markets for 2026, ranking metros by forecasted combined home price and sales growth. Hartford, Rochester, and Worcester top the list. The top 10 median list price is $384,000 versus a national median of $415,000, and the top metros show average list price growth of +16.3% compared with national flatness (-0.2%).

Realtor.com cites tight inventory (some metros >60% below pre-pandemic levels), limited new construction, lower mortgage lock-in, stronger buyer profiles (median FICO 742), and older, smaller housing stock as drivers of 2026 strength.

Positive

• Top metros average 16.3% list price growth vs national -0.2%
• $384,000 median list price across top 10, below national $415,000
• Hartford forecasted combined growth 17.1% for 2026
• Buyers in top metros show median FICO 742 vs 737 nationally

Negative

• Inventory in several top metros is >60% below pre-pandemic levels
• Housing stock is older: Pittsburgh median year built 1960
• Homes in many top metros are smaller than national median (1,834 sq ft)

Key Figures

Top-10 median list price $384,000 Median list price across top 10 2026 markets vs national median

National median list price $415,000 National median list price benchmark used in report

Refuge metros price change 16.3% Average list price gain in refuge metros since 2022

Toledo price change 33.4% List price growth in Toledo, Ohio since 2022

National list price change -0.2% National list price move vs 2022

Top-10 external views 40% Q3 2025 share of listing views from outside top metros

Buyer FICO score 742 vs 737 Average FICO in top 10 markets vs national buyers

Down payment share 15.7% vs 14.6% Average down payment in top 10 markets vs national

Market Reality Check

$29.66 Last Close

Volume Volume 524,383 is below the 20-day average of 718,464, indicating muted trading interest ahead of this release. normal

Technical Shares at $29.44 are trading below the 200-day MA of $31.83, reflecting a weaker longer-term trend before this news.

Peers on Argus

Sector peers showed mixed moves: key names like NWSA (+0.7%), FOXA (+1.56%), ROKU (+4.11%), WMG (-0.54%) and TKO (-3.15%) did not move in a clearly unified direction, suggesting today’s impact on NWS is more company-specific than sector-driven.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 08	Housing trends report	Neutral	-0.9%	Monthly housing data on affordability, delistings and refuge market trends.
Dec 03	2026 housing forecast	Neutral	+0.1%	National 2026 outlook for mortgage rates, sales, prices and rents.
Nov 25	New vs existing homes	Neutral	+0.7%	Report on narrowing new-construction price premium and financing terms.
Nov 24	Luxury market split	Neutral	-0.5%	Update on diverging trends across high-end metro luxury markets.
Nov 20	Buyer regret study	Neutral	-1.3%	Survey-based findings on buyer remorse and slower market conditions.

Pattern Detected

Recent Realtor.com releases have produced relatively small 1-day price reactions for NWS, suggesting investors treat these data-heavy reports as incremental rather than major catalysts.

Recent Company History

Over the last month, NWS has issued multiple Realtor.com® research reports, including housing forecasts, monthly trends, and buyer sentiment studies. These releases, such as the 2026 Housing Forecast on Dec 3, 2025 and November’s monthly report on Dec 8, 2025, delivered detailed metrics on prices, listings, and mortgage dynamics. Price reactions around these events remained modest (within about 1–2% intraday), indicating that markets have so far viewed such housing data as informative but not thesis-changing for NWS.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details Realtor.com®’s 2026 metro ranking, highlighting strong expected combined sales and price growth up to 17.1% in leading markets such as Hartford and Rochester, and emphasizing affordability, tight inventory and stronger buyer credit profiles. For NWS, it adds to a steady flow of data-driven housing research rather than a discrete corporate event. Investors may watch how sustained demand in these “refuge markets” influences Realtor.com® traffic, engagement and monetization metrics over time.

Key Terms

median list price financial

"The median list price across the top 10 is $384,000, below the national median"

Median list price is the middle value of a group of asking prices when they are lined up from lowest to highest, so half the items are listed for less and half for more. For investors, it shows the typical asking price without being skewed by a few very high or very low entries—like using the middle rung on a ladder to represent an average step—helping assess market levels, compare pricing trends and spot unusual deviations.

mortgage rate financial

"Amid expectations for cooling national price growth and modest mortgage rate relief"

A mortgage rate is the percentage charged by a lender on a home loan, representing the cost a borrower pays each year to finance a property. For investors, it acts like the price tag on borrowing that influences home-buying demand, housing prices and the performance of banks and mortgage-backed securities—when rates rise, buying tends to slow and loan-related returns and property values can shift, much like higher ticket prices reduce event attendance.

fico financial

"Mortgage data also shows buyers in the top 10 markets are better positioned: 742 FICO vs. 737 nationally"

FICO score is a three-digit number that summarizes a consumer’s creditworthiness based on their borrowing and repayment history, outstanding debts, and length of credit relationships. Investors care because aggregate FICO trends affect how likely loans are to be repaid and how much lenders charge for credit; it's like a health meter for consumer credit—widespread falling scores can signal higher defaults and pressure on bank profits, while rising scores suggest lower credit risk and steadier cash flow.

conforming financial

"and 74% of loans conforming vs. 58% nationally"

Conforming means that a document, product, loan, disclosure, or business practice meets the specific rules or standards set by regulators, industry bodies, or financing programs. For investors it matters because conformity reduces legal and operational risk, enables access to larger pools of capital or secondary markets, and makes valuation and comparison more predictable—like using a standard-sized package that will reliably fit into common shipping systems.

metropolitan statistical areas technical

"for the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas by household size"

Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) are geographic regions defined by population size and the degree of economic and commuting integration around a central city, similar to how a school district groups nearby neighborhoods that share resources and routines. Investors use MSAs to evaluate local demand, labor markets, real estate trends and regulatory environments — factors that influence company sales, property values and the risk profile of investments tied to specific places.

year-over-year financial

"2026 Existing Home Sales Year-over-Year | 2026 Existing Home Median Sale Price Year-over-Year"

Year-over-year compares a number from one period with the same period one year earlier to show how things have changed over time. Investors use it to spot growth or decline while avoiding seasonal swings—like comparing this winter’s sales to last winter’s—so they can judge whether performance trends are improving, weakening, or just reflecting normal seasonal patterns.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

• Affordability, lower mortgage rate lock-in and stronger buyer profiles propel Northeast and Midwest metros to lead in annual rankings
• Hartford, Conn.; Rochester, N.Y.; and Worcester, Mass., take the top spots

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Realtor.com^®'s annual ranking of the Top Housing Markets for 2026 shows a notable geographic shift from a year ago: while last year's top metros were concentrated in the South and West, the markets projected to see the strongest combined growth in home sales and prices in 2026 are now overwhelmingly in the Northeast and Midwest. Hartford, Conn., Rochester, N.Y., and Worcester, Mass., lead the 2026 list.

Amid expectations for cooling national price growth and modest mortgage rate relief, buyers are increasingly focused on value. As a result, "refuge markets" are attracting shoppers from larger, high-cost metros seeking relative affordability, more space for the price and greater market stability. The top 10 markets for 2026, in rank order, are: 1) Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn. 2) Rochester, N.Y. 3) Worcester, Mass.-Conn. 4) Toledo, Ohio 5) Providence-Warwick, R.I.-Mass. 6) Richmond, Va. 7) Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich. 8) Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis. 9) New Haven-Milford, Conn., and 10) Pittsburgh. See the full top 100 metro ranking below.

"We expect a more balanced housing market in 2026, leaning slightly in buyers' favor compared with 2025, as modest improvements in affordability, driven by mortgage rate relief and slower home price growth, give incomes a bit more room to catch up," said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com^®. "Our 2026 top housing markets offer better value than nearby high-cost hubs, yet steady demand and persistent inventory shortages keep prices moving upward. For buyers, that can mean more competition and faster price gains. For sellers and homeowners, it signals strong demand or home price appreciation and equity gains."

Affordable homes and out-of-state buyers drive market interest
The 2026 top markets share several characteristics – relatively affordable homes, limited new construction, lower mortgage lock-in pressure, and older, financially well-qualified households – but their unifying advantage is strong value for buyers. The median list price across the top 10 is $384,000, below the national median of $415,000, making these metros attractive to both first-time buyers and those relocating from higher cost areas.

Out-of-state interest is pronounced in the top 10. In Q3 2025, 40% of listing views in the top markets came from buyers outside the metro, with each drawing heavily from a major hub such as New York, Boston and Washington, D.C – up from 31% before rates rose in early 2022. These smaller, often overlooked, metros are likely providing the right combination of value, stability and space that today's buyers increasingly prioritize.

Tight inventory and scarce new construction push prices higher
Inventory remains tight in the top metros, with several markets – Hartford, Conn.; Worcester, Mass.; and New Haven, Conn. – 60% or more below pre-pandemic levels. Even so, list prices in the top 10 remain below regional averages. Scarcity, combined with steady demand, drives faster price growth in these markets than nationally. Nationally, list prices have been essentially flat (-0.2%) compared to 2022; in these "refuge metros," prices are up 16.3% on average, ranging from 10.6% in Grand Rapids, Mich., to a striking 33.4% in Toledo, Ohio.

All but one of the top metros are in regions with relatively little new construction. Nine of the top 10 have a smaller share of new-construction listings than the national average (Richmond, Va. is the exception). When new homes appear, they are expensive, with premiums on new construction in the top 10 at least double the national average of 10.2 percent.

Low mortgage lock-in and strong buyer profiles support market resilience
Mortgage dynamics gives several of the 2026 top markets a built-in advantage with lower "lock-in" pressure. In the most affordable metros – Rochester, N.Y; Toledo, Ohio; and Pittsburgh – today's buyers would pay 32.5% to 56.4% more in principal and interest than current homeowners, compared with a 73.2% jump nationally. Smaller payment gaps help reduce financial barriers to move and support greater mobility, more listings, and higher transaction volumes. Additionally, many owners in these markets own their homes outright, without a mortgage, which insulates them from higher rates and keeps activity robust.

Mortgage data also shows buyers in the top 10 markets are better positioned: 742 FICO vs. 737 nationally, 15.7% down vs. 14.6%, and 74% of loans conforming vs. 58% nationally. This combination of stronger credit, more equity and lower-risk loan types makes these markets more resilient and positions them for some of the fastest combined price and sales growth in 2026.

Mature, stable households and older, smaller homes help sustain prices
Residents in the top markets are older than the national average, with median ages mostly in the mid-50s. Pittsburgh leads at 57, followed by Providence, R.I; New Haven, Conn.; and Hartford, Conn. at 55, while even the youngest, Grand Rapids, Mich., is 52 – well above the U.S. median of 40. This demographic stability, paired with generally older, smaller homes, reinforces price strength. And while lower mortgage lock-in across several of the top markets can encourage more mobility and support rising prices and sales, these mature household profiles may limit how fully that mobility plays out. The result: prices and transactions climb, but inventory is likely to remain somewhat constrained.

Housing stock in these markets is also older (the national median year built is 1981). Pittsburgh leads with a median home built in 1960, followed by Providence, R.I. (1962), New Haven, Conn. (1964), and Rochester, N.Y. (1966). Eight of the top 10 metros have homes over 60 years old; even the newest, Richmond (1985), is more than 40 years old. Homes are smaller too; half of the top metros feature homes smaller than the national median of 1,834 sq. ft. – Toledo, Ohio (1,561 sq. ft.) and Pittsburgh (1,588 sq. ft.) are the smallest, while Richmond, Va., with its newer stock, is the largest at 1,969 sq. ft., highlighting how newer construction trends toward larger, more modern floor plans.

2026 Housing Forecast – 100 Largest U.S. Metros
(Ranked by expected combined sale and price growth rates)
Rank	Metro	2026 Existing Home Sales Year-over-Year	2026 Existing Home Median Sale Price Year-over-Year	Combined 2026 Existing Home Sales and Price Growth
1	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn.	7.6 %	9.5 %	17.1 %
2	Rochester, N.Y.	5.3 %	10.3 %	15.5 %
3	Worcester, Mass.-Conn.	12.6 %	2.4 %	15.0 %
4	Toledo, Ohio	-1.2 %	13.1 %	11.9 %
5	Providence-Warwick, R.I.-Mass.	7.1 %	4.1 %	11.2 %
6	Richmond, Va.	3.6 %	6.9 %	10.6 %
7	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich	6.9 %	3.7 %	10.6 %
8	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis.	3.5 %	7.0 %	10.5 %
9	New Haven-Milford, Conn.	2.3 %	7.7 %	10.0 %
10	Pittsburgh, Pa.	4.0 %	5.7 %	9.7 %
11	Baton Rouge, La.	7.1 %	2.2 %	9.3 %
12	Portland-South Portland, Maine	4.7 %	4.6 %	9.3 %
13	Louisville/Jefferson County, Ky.-Ind.	5.1 %	3.5 %	8.6 %
14	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Ark.	3.9 %	4.6 %	8.6 %
15	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn.	1.0 %	6.9 %	8.0 %
16	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas	3.3 %	4.6 %	7.9 %
17	Winston-Salem, N.C.	-0.2 %	7.7 %	7.5 %
18	Columbia, S.C.	0.3 %	7.2 %	7.5 %
19	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass.-N.H.	4.7 %	2.6 %	7.3 %
20	Kansas City, Mo.-Kan.	1.7 %	5.4 %	7.1 %
21	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR	0.5 %	6.3 %	6.8 %
22	Syracuse, N.Y.	-5.7 %	12.4 %	6.7 %
23	Birmingham-Hoover, Ala.	0.0 %	6.2 %	6.2 %
24	Bakersfield, Calif.	1.8 %	4.3 %	6.1 %
25	Chattanooga, Tenn.-Ga.	0.4 %	5.6 %	6.0 %
26	Salt Lake City, Utah	4.2 %	1.7 %	5.8 %
27	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md.	-2.6 %	8.3 %	5.7 %
28	Akron, Ohio	0.6 %	5.1 %	5.6 %
29	St. Louis, Mo.-Ill.	2.2 %	3.1 %	5.3 %
30	Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pa.	1.0 %	4.0 %	5.0 %
31	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis.	3.8 %	1.2 %	5.0 %
32	Urban Honolulu, Hawaii	2.3 %	2.6 %	5.0 %
33	Madison, Wis.	2.7 %	2.2 %	5.0 %
34	Dayton, Ohio	-1.3 %	6.3 %	4.9 %
35	Fresno, Calif.	2.1 %	2.8 %	4.9 %
36	Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash.	8.1 %	-3.5 %	4.7 %
37	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, Pa.	-6.2 %	10.9 %	4.6 %
38	Tulsa, Okla.	2.2 %	2.3 %	4.6 %
39	Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio	-2.0 %	6.3 %	4.3 %
40	Jackson, MS	-0.4 %	4.6 %	4.2 %
41	Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.	1.0 %	2.9 %	3.9 %
42	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.	4.2 %	-0.4 %	3.8 %
43	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-Va.-Md.-W. Va.	-1.3 %	5.1 %	3.8 %
44	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Calif.	1.8 %	1.8 %	3.6 %
45	Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif.	2.5 %	0.9 %	3.4 %
46	Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y.	-4.1 %	7.5 %	3.4 %
47	San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif.	2.3 %	0.7 %	3.0 %
48	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich	-1.2 %	4.2 %	3.0 %
49	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, Va.-N.C.	-3.6 %	6.6 %	3.0 %
50	Boise City, Idaho	3.7 %	-0.8 %	2.9 %
51	Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa	3.1 %	-0.4 %	2.7 %
52	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.	4.9 %	-2.3 %	2.6 %
53	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.	-2.3 %	4.4 %	2.1 %
54	Columbus, Ohio	-2.1 %	4.0 %	1.9 %
55	Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, N.Y.	-0.2 %	1.9 %	1.7 %
56	New Orleans-Metairie, La.	-4.4 %	5.8 %	1.4 %
57	Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.	1.5 %	-0.2 %	1.3 %
58	New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.	-4.4 %	5.2 %	0.8 %
59	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.	0.0 %	0.7 %	0.7 %
60	San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas	0.4 %	0.2 %	0.6 %
61	Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla.	1.6 %	-1.0 %	0.6 %
62	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md.	-5.1 %	5.7 %	0.6 %
63	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Ind.	-6.4 %	6.6 %	0.2 %
64	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.	-1.4 %	1.5 %	0.1 %
65	Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind.	-3.2 %	3.1 %	0.0 %
66	San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif.	2.5 %	-2.5 %	-0.1 %
67	Wichita, Kan.	-3.2 %	3.1 %	-0.1 %
68	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas	-0.6 %	0.4 %	-0.2 %
69	Albuquerque, N.M.	-4.3 %	3.5 %	-0.8 %
70	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, N.C.-S.C.	-2.4 %	1.1 %	-1.3 %
71	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev.	-2.5 %	0.6 %	-1.8 %
72	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, Calif.	1.5 %	-3.3 %	-1.9 %
73	Tucson, Ariz.	-1.5 %	-0.5 %	-2.0 %
74	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore.-Wash.	-2.5 %	0.2 %	-2.3 %
75	Knoxville, Tenn.	-6.4 %	3.9 %	-2.5 %
76	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, Tenn.	-3.5 %	0.5 %	-3.0 %
77	Augusta-Richmond County, Ga.-S.C.	-4.9 %	1.3 %	-3.6 %
78	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas	-5.4 %	1.8 %	-3.6 %
79	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga.	-3.5 %	-0.1 %	-3.7 %
80	Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	-0.5 %	-3.6 %	-4.1 %
81	El Paso, Texas	-7.0 %	2.8 %	-4.2 %
82	Charleston-North Charleston, S.C.	-7.6 %	3.3 %	-4.3 %
83	Colorado Springs, Colo.	-4.2 %	-0.4 %	-4.6 %
84	Oklahoma City, Okla.	-6.1 %	1.1 %	-5.0 %
85	Austin-Round Rock, Texas	-7.0 %	2.0 %	-5.0 %
86	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, S.C.	-8.1 %	3.1 %	-5.0 %
87	Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa	-4.7 %	-0.9 %	-5.7 %
88	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla.	-7.1 %	1.1 %	-6.0 %
89	Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark.	-7.7 %	1.8 %	-6.0 %
90	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla.	-4.7 %	-1.6 %	-6.3 %
91	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo.	-2.9 %	-3.4 %	-6.3 %
92	Greensboro-High Point, N.C.	-10.9 %	4.4 %	-6.5 %
93	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.	-3.1 %	-3.6 %	-6.8 %
94	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa.-N.J.	-13.6 %	5.9 %	-7.7 %
95	Raleigh, N.C.	-4.4 %	-3.7 %	-8.1 %
96	North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.	0.8 %	-8.9 %	-8.1 %
97	Jacksonville, Fla.	-6.9 %	-1.4 %	-8.3 %
98	Stockton-Lodi, Calif.	-5.7 %	-4.1 %	-9.8 %
99	Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	-10.8 %	0.7 %	-10.1 %
100	Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.	-0.8 %	-10.2 %	-11.0 %

Methodology
The Realtor.com^® model-based forecast uses data on the housing market and overall economy to estimate 2026 values for these variables for the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas by household size. These markets are then ranked by combined forecasted growth in home prices and sales. Results are calculated to three decimal places and ranked at this degree of specificity, there were no ties. For publication, results are rounded to one decimal place, and this can result in minor differences between the rounded and unrounded sums.

About Realtor.com^®
Realtor.com^® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com^® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com^® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc.

Media contact: Sara Wiskerchen, press@realtor.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/realtorcom-reveals-the-top-housing-markets-for-2026-302637142.html

SOURCE Realtor.com

FAQ

Which metros did Realtor.com rank as the top housing markets for 2026 and what are their symbols?

Hartford, Rochester, and Worcester lead Realtor.com's 2026 ranking; the report was released by Realtor.com (NYSE:NWS).

What combined growth does Realtor.com forecast for Hartford in 2026?

Hartford is forecasted to have a 17.1% combined increase in existing home sales and median sale price in 2026.

How does the median list price in the 2026 top 10 metros compare to the national median?

The top 10 median list price is $384,000, below the national median of $415,000.

What inventory conditions did Realtor.com report for top 2026 markets?

Several top metros have inventory levels more than 60% below pre-pandemic levels, tightening supply.

What buyer-credit metrics support strength in the 2026 top markets (Realtor.com)?

Buyers in the top 10 show a median FICO of 742, average down payment 15.7%, and 74% conforming loans.