Springfield, Massachusetts, has cemented its status as the nation’s hottest housing market. For the sixth consecutive month—and the ninth time overall—the Western Massachusetts city claimed the top spot in Realtor.com’s monthly market rankings. Strong demand and limited supply continue to drive Springfield’s momentum, with views per property running 3.1 times the national average in October. Homes there sold more than a month faster than the U.S. median at an average list price of $362,000, drawing steady interest from buyers priced out of higher-cost Northeast metros like Boston, New York City, and Hartford.
The broader New England region remained one of the nation’s most competitive housing areas. Following Springfield, Hartford, Connecticut, ranked second on Realtor.com’s list, followed by Lancaster, Pennsylvania and New Haven, Connecticut. Rochester, New York, and Manchester, New Hampshire, also placed among the top 10, reinforcing the Northeast’s continued draw for value-conscious home shoppers.
Simultaneously, affordability kept the Midwest among the country’s most active housing regions. Four Wisconsin markets—Kenosha, Racine, Wausau, and Appleton—all broke into the top 10, propelled by strong buyer interest and relatively low price points. In all, 11 of the month’s top markets were located in the Midwest, where listings attracted 2.6 times more views than the typical U.S. property and sold 27 days faster than the national average.
Across the country, home prices rose 0.4 percent in October, according to Realtor.com, while the hottest markets saw a much sharper 4.6 percent gain fueled by robust demand. Inventory levels continued to recover nationwide, up 15.3 percent from a year earlier. Even so, most of the country’s most in-demand markets remain below pre-pandemic supply levels, keeping pressure on buyers. Kenosha, Appleton and Racine posted some of the steepest inventory declines, falling 12.3 percent, 12.1 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively. Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire, saw one of the largest increases, up 34.9 percent year-over-year.
Among the 40 largest U.S. metros, listings drew 5.5 percent more views and sold about nine days faster than average, though prices edged down 0.7 percent on the month, signaling a mild cooling at the national level. Kansas City surged 29 spots in the rankings, while Pittsburgh, New York, Minneapolis and Jacksonville also climbed sharply.
“Though the market remains challenging, more inventory, flat prices, and lower mortgage rates mean many buyers are better positioned than a year ago,” Realtor.com said in its report.
“There is still a ways to go before the market is fully buyer-friendly, but recent progress is a relief for home shoppers.”
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