Zillow surfers generally gravitated toward smaller cities in 2023, according to an analysis of buyer preferences recently released. And after the West Coast ruled in 2021 and the Midwest took the top spot in 2022, the Northeast dominated the 2023 list.
Of the 10 most popular markets, only one – Manchester, N.H. – had a population of more than 100,000, and most had less than half that number.
The top 10 most popular markets of 2023 on Zillow:
• West Chester, Pennsylvania
• Nashua, New Hampshire
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Wethersfield, Connecticut
• West Hartford, Connecticut
• Stow, Ohio
• Middletown, Connecticut
• Twinsburg, Ohio
• Newington, Connecticut
• Concord, New Hampshire
Chula Vista, Calif., won out for most popular large city. South Portland, Maine, was the most popular seaside town, while Vermilion, Ohio, took the top spot among vacation towns. North Carolina’s Pinehurst edged out Hilton Head Island, S.C., for the top retirement town. West Chester, Pa., also ranked first among college towns, with Kent, Ohio, coming in just behind it.
“Affordability was the word on home shoppers’ minds this year, and it shows in the most popular cities that buyers on Zillow gravitated toward,” said Zillow chief economist Skylar Olsen.
As 2024 arrives, “the winds appear to be shifting just a bit,” Olsen said. Buying a home will still be expensive in much of the country, but more listings and much flatter home-price growth will make life easier for home shoppers.”
To rank the most popular markets among Zillow surfers, Zillow analyzed housing metrics that indicate consumer demand – including page-view traffic, home value growth and days on market – for nearly 2,300 U.S. cities.
As for the #1? West Chester is a quaint town of about 20,000 people near Philadelphia. Home values rose about 8 percent there in2023, buoyed by strong demand.
The typical home in West Chester is worth about $584,000, putting it among the more expensive cities in Pennsylvania. But given its relative affordability compared to larger markets nearby, those looking for a break from city life may see West Chester as an attractive and affordable place to call home.
