The 30 Best Real Estate Markets in America for 2024

Over the last couple of months, the American residential real estate industry has witnessed a considerable decline due to increased mortgage quotes. The National Real Estate Association reveals that in April 2023, existing home sales fell by a whopping 23% and settled at 4.28 million as compared with the same time last year. In contrast, however, many cities across the USA still remain hot, and more people desire to purchase these houses, which rarely stay in the market for longer than a few weeks.

It is worth noting that these high-demand metropolises are mainly found in the midwestern and northeastern states such as Wisconsin, where there are four cities, and New England, where there are twelve such cities. It is not surprising that home prices are increasing in such areas due to increased demand.

The median list prices are rising month over month in two-thirds of these metro areas, and except for one of them, they exceed last year’s ones. It is also interesting to note that even as prices are constantly increasing in some of these places, the cost of living remains much lower compared to other cities, which might be another reason for the high demand.

1. Manchester-Nashua, NH

• • •   Time a house typically spends on the market: 12 days
    •   Median list price: $541,950 (23.2% more than national avg.)
    •   Change in median list price: +1.8% month-over-month; +21.9% year-over-year
    •   Total homes on the market: 451

2. Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 21.5 days
    •    Median list price: $419,950 (4.5% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +5.0% month-over
    •    Total homes on the market: 2,457

3. Concord, NH — tied:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 20 days
    •    Median list price: $547,400 (24.4% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +4.8% month-over-month; +21.7% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 165

4. Rochester, NY — tied:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 16 days
    •    Median list price: $264,900 (39.8% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +0.0% month-over-month; +19.1% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 852

5. Springfield, MA:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 22 days
    •    Median list price: $377,450 (14.2% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +2.3% month-over-month; +6.8% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 580

6. Columbus, OH:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 22 days
    •    Median list price: $388,900 (11.6% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +1.0% month-over-month; +11.4% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 3,466

7. Worcester, MA-CT:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 19 days
    •    Median list price: $515,000 (17.1% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +2.0% month-over-month; +9.7% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 991

8. New Haven-Milford, CT:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 26 days
    •    Median list price: $429,900 (2.3% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +7.5% month-over-month; +20.3% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 1,939

9. Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 19 days
    •    Median list price: $367,900 (16.4% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +11.8% month-over-month; +26.9% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 151

10. Portland-South Portland, ME:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 29 days
    •    Median list price: $620,000 (40.9% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -1.4% month-over-month; +16.4% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 793

11. Eau Claire, WI:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 24 days
    •    Median list price: $375,000 (14.8% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +8.1% month-over-month; +12.5% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 314

12. Rockford, IL:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 29 days
    •    Median list price: $212,900 (51.6% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +18.3% month-over-month; +19.3% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 645

13. Burlington-South Burlington, VT:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 30 days
    •    Median list price: $483,125 (9.8% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +2.3% month-over-month; +10.3% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 233

14. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 23 days
    •    Median list price: $849,948 (93.2% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +1.3% month-over-month; +12.2% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 5,196

15. Fort Wayne, IN:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 29 days
    •    Median list price: $347,450 (21.0% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +1.0% month-over-month; +23.0% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 451

16. Appleton, WI — tied:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 32 days
    •    Median list price: $392,500 (10.8% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -0.8% month-over-month; +10.7% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 406

17. Allentown -Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ — tied:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 28 days
    •    Median list price: $383,500 (12.8% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +1.2% month-over-month; +9.6% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 1,240

18. Dayton-Kettering, OH:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 30 days
    •    Median list price: $230,000 (47.7% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -4.2% month-over-month; +12.2% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 1,841

19. Johnson City, TN:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 33 days
    •    Median list price: $429,450 (2.4% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +4.7% month-over-month; +22.7% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 488

20. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 31 days
    •    Median list price: $1,100,000 (150.1% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -5.1% month-over-month; +30.3% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 2,702

21. Lansing-East Lansing, MI:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 29 days
    •    Median list price: $219,900 (50.0% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -4.3% month-over-month; +10.3% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 978

22. Jefferson City, MO:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 30 days
    •    Median list price: $289,900 (34.1% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +4.7% month-over-month; +26.1% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 277

23. Norwich-New London, CT:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 35 days
    •    Median list price: $499,900 (13.6% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +0.1% month-over-month; +25.0% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 705

24. South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 28 days
    •    Median list price: $299,450 (31.9% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -0.2% month-over-month; -1.8% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 487

25. Toledo, OH:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 31 days
    •    Median list price: $225,000 (48.9% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +4.7% month-over-month; +22.0% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 1,494

26. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 33 days
    •    Median list price: $525,000 (19.3% more than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -0.9% month-over-month; +11.1% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 2,843

27. Peoria, IL:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 33 days
    •    Median list price: $159,900 (63.7% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +6.7% month-over-month; +16.8% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 949

28. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI — tied:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 29 days
    •    Median list price: $374,900 (14.8% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: +2.7% month-over-month; +16.3% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 2,774

29. La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN — tied:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 31 days
    •    Median list price: $339,900 (22.7% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -5.6% month-over-month; +3.2% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 289

30. Oshkosh-Neenah, WI:

• • •    Time a house typically spends on the market: 36.5 days
    •    Median list price: $299,950 (31.8% less than national avg.)
    •    Change in median list price: -9.7% month-over-month; +2.1% year-over-year
    •    Total homes on the market: 311

While the overall U.S. housing market has experienced a notable cooldown, certain metro areas in the Midwest and Northeast are defying this trend. These regions are characterized by a robust demand for homes, resulting in a swift sales process and, in many cases, an increase in home prices.

Despite the price hikes, these areas remain relatively affordable compared to the national average, likely contributing to the heightened demand. As the housing landscape continues to evolve, these outlier markets showcase resilience and attractiveness to homebuyers, offering unique opportunities amid the broader market slowdown.

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