The top 10 hottest housing markets in 2026: Zillow
- Several Northeast metros are expected to remain hot in 2026
- California cities such as San Jose and Los Angeles also made the top 10
- Here’s which housing markets will stay competitive, according to Zillow

(NewsNation) — Home prices are expected to rise modestly in 2026, but sellers will still be calling the shots in certain markets.
Zillow expects Hartford, Conn., to be the hottest housing market in 2026, warning buyers to brace for “bidding wars and broken hearts.”
The Connecticut capital saw a nation-high 66.4 percent of homes sell over asking price last year and the second-lowest share of homes with a price cut (16.5 percent), according to Zillow. Home values in Hartford also rose 4.6 percent, the fastest pace of any major metro.
Other Northeast metros — including Buffalo, N.Y., Boston and Philadelphia — also cracked Zillow’s annual top 10 list for 2026, in part because inventory remains well below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.
Out West, California cities such as San Jose and Los Angeles are among the most expensive housing markets in the country, and with few options for buyers, they’re expected to remain competitive.
Zillow’s rankings factor in home price growth and measures of competition, like how quickly homes sell and how often sellers cut prices.
Note: Typical home value reflects Zillow’s Home Value Index (ZHVI) as of October 2025.
10 – Milwaukee

A sailboat moves across the water on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee on July 1, 2024. (Photo by TANNEN MAURY / AFP) (Photo by TANNEN MAURY/AFP via Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $369,303
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +2.1 percent
- Change in inventory vs. 2018–2019 averages: -25.7 percent
9 – Richmond, Va.

Pedestrians cross the James River on the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge with the skyline of Richmond, Va., in the background. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $383,275
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +2.1 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -34.2 percent
8 – Los Angeles

A general view of the Los Angeles downtown skyline with a view of mountains in the background at sunset from Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area on October 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $941,869
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +1.1 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -18.5 percent
7 – Boston

Tourists view the famous cobbled street Beacon Hill in the historic district of Boston at night. (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $717,711
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +1.5 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -30.3 percent
6 – Philadelphia

The Philadelphia skyline is shown before the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins at Citizens Bank Park on September 26, 2025, in Philadelphia. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $378,054
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +1.7 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -39.4 percent
5 – San Jose, Calif.

Hotel De Anza opened its doors in 1931, now surrounded by new buildings along W. Santa Clara St. in downtown on Friday, March 4, 2022, in San Jose, Calif. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $1,558,466
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +1.2 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -26.7 percent
4 – Providence, R.I.

Kennedy Plaza, the 1871 Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and Providence City Hall in Providence, R.I., are pictured on April 25, 2019. (Photo by Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $503,409
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +3.0 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -54.9 percent
3 – New York City

The skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City is reflected on the top of a monument along the Hudson River as the sun sets on January 1, 2026, in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $704,284
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +1.5 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -48.4 percent
2 – Buffalo, New York

Basin Marina Park and city skyline on Oct. 9, 2016, in Buffalo, N.Y. (Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $277,499
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +2.5 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -39.1 percent
1 – Hartford, Conn.

General aerial view of the city of Hartford, Conn., on March 23, 2019, at XL Center. (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
- Typical home value (Oct. 2025): $381,760
- Home value growth forecast (Oct. 2026): +3.9 percent
- Change in inventory versus 2018–2019 averages: -63.0 percent




















