Homebuyers are voting with their feet, flocking to housing markets with more affordable, larger housing stock. In its "Top Markets" report, Realtor.com identified the most popular metro areas of 2026, bustling with eager homebuyers undeterred by punishing mortgage rates, dwindling supply and uncertainty.
Why some housing markets are still sizzling
Realtor.com's report looked at the markets expected to be the hottest in 2026. A big theme across these markets is "relative affordability." Many of the markets Realtor.com identified are more affordable markets next to more expensive markets. These include "secondary cities" like Worcester — which is less expensive than nearby Boston.
"Affordability" has been a hot topic lately as prices and the general cost-of-living are creating a crunch. Inflation, while slower, has continued to hit wallets, and mortgage rates continue to be an issue. While mortgage rates are down from over 7%, they're still high, at 6.3% for a 30-year fixed, according to Freddie Mac. At the same time, the nation continues to have a shortage in housing due to slower construction of new homes and "stickiness" in the real estate market as people who got low mortgage rates in 2020 and 2021 are hesitant to move.
Similarly, while house prices have slowed from their rapid shot up in the wake of the pandemic, they're still remaining at elevated levels, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. And that's coming as the same situation plays out with inflation on the costs of goods in general.
The top housing markets identified by Realtor.com for 2026 have a median list price of $384,000, which is below the national median of $415,000. "Each top 10 market draws heavily from at least one major, high-cost metro such as New York, Boston, or Washington, DC, underscoring that price-sensitive buyers are increasingly looking to these value hubs for refuge from high costs," the report says.
Top 10 housing markets
The 2026 forecast was put together using housing market data including estimated values and forecasted growth in home prices and sales.
Six of the top 10 markets are in the Northeast, three in the Midwest and one in the Mid-Atlantic. Southern and Western regions don't crack the top 10.
One reason for this, per Realtor.com, is that the Northeast and Midwest have more scarce new-construction activity. That pushes prices higher, particularly on new builds. The median age of residents in the identified areas is also higher, "suggesting a population with deep roots and a relatively stable household structure." The people who want to be there want to be there for a while.
In terms of how mortgage rates apply, the report states: "Compared with other large metros, the top 10 attract buyers who tend to have slightly stronger credit profiles, higher down payments, and a greater reliance on conforming loans — a mix that supports market resilience even in a high-rate environment."
Here are the top 10 housing markets for 2026, according to Realtor.com:
Rank |
Metro Name |
2026 Existing Home Sales Year-Over-Year |
2026 Existing Home Median Sale Price Year-Over-Year |
Combined 2026 Existing Home Sales & Price Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Hartford-West, Hartford-East, Hartford, Connecticut |
7.6% |
9.5% |
17.1% |
2 |
Rochester, New York |
5.3% |
10.3% |
15.5% |
3 |
Worcester, Massachusetts and Connecticut |
12.6% |
2.4% |
15.0% |
4 |
Toledo, Ohio |
-1.2% |
13.1% |
11.9% |
5 |
Providence-Warwick, Rhode Island and Massachusetts |
7.1% |
4.1% |
11.2% |
6 |
Richmond, Virginia |
3.6% |
6.9% |
10.6% |
7 |
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Michigan |
6.9% |
3.7% |
10.6% |
8 |
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wisconsin |
3.5% |
7.0% |
10.5% |
9 |
New Haven-Milford, Connecticut |
2.3% |
7.7% |
10.0% |
10 |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
4.0% |
5.7% |
9.7% |
Hottest housing markets: March 2026
That report was built around expectations for 2026. So, how are things playing out in reality? Here are the top 10 hottest housing markets in March 2026, the most recent data available, per Realtor.com:
Hottest Metro |
Median Days on Market |
Median Listing Price |
|---|---|---|
1. Springfield, Massachusetts |
32 |
$352,000 |
2. Kenosha, Wisconsin |
30 |
$417,000 |
3. Lancaster, Pennsylvania |
31 |
$421,000 |
4. Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire |
35 |
$549,000 |
5. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut |
34 |
$790,000 |
6. Worcester, Massachusetts and Connecticut |
31 |
$550,000 |
7. Rochester, New York |
31 |
$299,000 |
8. Racine, Wisconsin |
30 |
$348,000 |
9. Reading, Pennsylvania |
24 |
$322,000 |
10. Springfield, Illinois |
32 |
$208,000 |
As you can see, the more real-time list largely overlaps with expectations for 2026, with the Northeast largely dominating.
Find your best mortgage option
Mortgage rates have been remaining higher than comfortable for many people. So use this tool from Bankrate to find the best mortgage option from multiple lenders:
