Winter 2025 Housing Market Ranking Released by The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com®
January 30, 2025
[NEW YORK/SANTA CLARA, Calif.] January 30, 2025 — Today, The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com® announced the Winter 2025 Housing Market Ranking, with Canton-Massillon, Ohio, identified as the leading housing market in the United States.
Current homebuyers have more choices compared to previous months; however, high mortgage rates have tempered buyer enthusiasm. The WSJ/Realtor.com® Housing Market Ranking showcases desirable markets that provide a lower cost of living in proximity to economic centers. This ranking assesses essential housing market statistics, economic vitality, and quality of life indicators to highlight emerging markets that promise a high standard of living and anticipated appreciation in home prices.
Data was evaluated for the 200 largest metropolitan areas across the United States. The top markets identified in the Winter 2025 ranking include:
1. Canton-Massillon, Ohio
2. Rockford, Ill.
3. Toledo, Ohio
4. Manchester-Nashua, N.H.
5. Akron, Ohio
6. Kalamazoo-Portage, Mich.
7. South Bend-Mishawaka, Ind.-Mich.
8. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis.
9. Springfield, Mass.
10. Worcester, Mass.
11. Dayton, Ohio
12. Trenton, N.J.
13. Harrisburg-Carlisle, Penn.
14. Fort Wayne, Ind.
15. Columbus, Ohio
16. Lancaster, Penn.
17. Appleton, Wisc.
18. Reading, Penn.
19. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, Conn.
20. Green Bay, Wisc.
For the complete housing market analysis, please visit Realtor.com®.
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Press Contact
Asees Singh
[email protected]
Methodology
The ranking assesses the 200 most populous core-based statistical areas according to U.S. Census Bureau data, following the March 2020 delineation standards across eight indicators in two main categories: real estate market (60%) and economic health and quality of life (40%). Each market is rated on a scale from 0 to 100 based on these indicators, with the overall score derived as a weighted composite of these rankings. Indicators for the real estate market include: real estate demand (15%), as measured by average page views per property; real estate supply (15%), based on median days on the market; median listing price trend (15%), reflecting annual price growth over the quarter; property taxes (10%); and climate risk to properties (10%). Economic health and quality of life indicators feature: unemployment (5%); wages (5%); regional price parities (5%); the proportion of foreign-born residents (5%); small business presence (5%); amenities (10%), counted as the average number of stores in selected “everyday splurge” categories (coffee, upscale/specialty grocery, home improvement, fitness) per capita in the area; and commute time (5%).
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® serves as an open real estate marketplace for everyone. With over 25 years of experience in digital real estate, Realtor.com® empowers consumers to navigate their home search by removing barriers, facilitating connections, and instilling confidence through expert advice. For industry professionals, Realtor.com® acts as a reliable partner for business growth, providing consumer connections and branding solutions to thrive in a competitive market. Operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc., for more details, visit Realtor.com®.
About The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is a globally recognized news organization delivering top news, analysis, and commentary. Engaging readers across various platforms—print, digital, mobile, social media, podcasts, and video—the Journal maintains its legacy as a premier source for global business and financial news while covering U.S. and international news, politics, arts, culture, lifestyle, sports, and health. It has been awarded 39 Pulitzer Prizes for exceptional journalism. The Wall Street Journal is published by Dow Jones, part of News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV).
