10 Small Real Estate Markets With the Highest Growth Over the Last Decade

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.

While the U.S. real estate market appears to finally be cooling down, home price growth has been a defining economic trend in recent years.

Over the past decade, U.S. home values grew by more than 81%, compared to average hourly earnings which saw a modest 47% increase. Consequently, housing affordability has taken a hit, while homeowners have seen substantial gains in their real estate wealth.

To find the cities that have seen the most price growth, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed data from Zillow and the U.S. Census Bureau. Learn more about the methodology at the end.

Here are the top American small cities with the highest 10-year home price growth.

10. Bridgeport, CT

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +154.1%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$215,364
• Median home price (March 2026): $355,127
• Median home price (March 2016): $139,763
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +42.4%
• Median household income (2024): $58,685

9. Caldwell, ID

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +162.2%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$245,488
• Median home price (March 2026): $396,876
• Median home price (March 2016): $151,388
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +76.6%
• Median household income (2024): $73,058

8. Elizabeth, NJ

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +162.8%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$331,227
• Median home price (March 2026): $534,667
• Median home price (March 2016): $203,440
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +51.4%
• Median household income (2024): $66,555

7. Dayton, OH

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +167.5%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$85,524
• Median home price (March 2026): $136,592
• Median home price (March 2016): $51,068
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +60.6%
• Median household income (2024): $45,247

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6. Ogden, UT

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +171.4%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$252,950
• Median home price (March 2026): $400,514
• Median home price (March 2016): $147,564
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +77.3%
• Median household income (2024): $72,575

5. Reading, PA

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +176.0%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$166,203
• Median home price (March 2026): $260,654
• Median home price (March 2016): $94,451
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +64.1%
• Median household income (2024): $44,091

4. Waterbury, CT

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +181.3%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$178,118
• Median home price (March 2026): $276,344
• Median home price (March 2016): $98,226
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +26.1%
• Median household income (2024): $51,886

3. Miami Gardens, FL

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +182.6%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$303,343
• Median home price (March 2026): $469,434
• Median home price (March 2016): $166,091
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +60.9%
• Median household income (2024): $63,627

2. Pine Hills, FL

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +187.6%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$178,054
• Median home price (March 2026): $272,957
• Median home price (March 2016): $94,903
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +61.1%
• Median household income (2024): $58,673

1. East Orange, NJ

• Percentage change in median home price (2016-2026): +197.7%
• Total change in median home price (2016-2026): +$314,979
• Median home price (March 2026): $474,293
• Median home price (March 2016): $159,314
• Percentage change in median household income (2014-2024): +64.5%
• Median household income (2024): $60,830

Methodology

The data used in the study comes from Zillow’s Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

To find the cities with the largest increase in home prices over the last decade, researchers at Construction Coverage compared each location’s median home value in March 2016 and March 2026.

Locations were then ordered by their respective percentage change in median home price over those 10 years, and, in the event of a tie, the location with the larger total change in home price over the last decade was ranked higher.

Additionally, researchers calculated the percentage change in median household income from 2014 to 2024, the latest data available from the U.S. Census Bureau.