The hottest housing market in the country during December claimed the top honor for the first time, according to a Realtor.com analysis of 300 metropolitan areas in the U.S.
Cities in the Midwest and Northeast dominated the list of hot housing markets, which is based on market demand (as determined by how many people view properties on Realtor.com) and market pace (determined by how long listings are active on the website).
Nationally, housing prices fell 1.8% between December 2023 and December 2024. But in the hottest markets, prices were up by an average of 2.7%, which Realtor.com attributed to a combination of high demand and low inventory.
Here are the hottest markets in America, starting with the one that ranked No. 1 for the first time on record.
1. Rockford, Ill.
Unique views per property: 2.9 times more than was typical nationwide in December
Median time that listings remain on the market: 43 days as of December
Estimated population of the primary city in this metropolitan area (Rockford): 146,000
Although many people might not have heard of it, Rockford is one of the bigger municipalities in Illinois. It is located just south of Wisconsin, halfway between Galena and Chicago. From the 1800s to today, one of America’s oldest industries — manufacturing — has been the largest industry in this region. In fact, it was once known as the Screw Capital of the World.
The median listing price in the market is $242,000 as of December.
2. Manchester-Nashua, N.H.
Unique views per property: 3.2 times more than was typical nationwide in December
Median time that listings remain on the market: 48 days as of December
Estimated population of the primary city in this metropolitan area (Manchester): 115,000
Manchester is the largest city in New England north of Boston. It has earned praise as a safe city, making it a great destination for retirees.
The median listing price for homes active in the market is $557,000 as of December.
3. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn.
Unique views per property: 4 times more than was typical nationwide in December
Median time that listings remain on the market: 49 days as of December
Estimated population of the primary city in this metropolitan area (Hartford): 120,000
Hartford is Connecticut’s state capital. It also has a reputation for being the center of the nation’s insurance industry. It’s known as the Insurance Capital of the World due to how many people working in the industry are based in this area.
The median listing price in the market is $400,000 as of December.
The rest of the top 10
Here are the rest of the top hottest markets, along with their unique views per property and the median time on market as of December:
- Lancaster, Pa. (2.3 times more unique views per property than typical; median of 45 days on the market)
- Reading, Pa. (2.2 times more views; 43 days)
- Worcester, Mass-Conn. (2.6 times more views; 49 days)
- Springfield, Mass. (3 times more views; 51 days)
- Providence-Warwick, R.I.-Mass. (2.3 times more views; 49 days)
- Racine, Wis. (2.2 times more views; 47 days)
- Oshkosh-Neenah, Wis. (2.6 times more views; 51 days)
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