Hottest ZIP Codes: Buyers Chase Space, Character Near Major Metros

Peabody, Massachusetts, (ZIP code 01960) tops the list of the hottest ZIP Codes in nation, rejoining the list for the third time since previously ranked No. 5 in 2018 and No.3 in 2021, according to Realtor.com.

For the fourth consecutive year, Realtor.com noted that the Northeast and Midwest swept the rankings, with this year’s list underscoring a shift in what today’s buyers are willing to pay for: more square footage and established character, even if it means a longer commute or a smaller discount versus the surrounding metro.

“This year’s hottest ZIP codes tell us that buyers aren’t simply chasing the lowest price tag anymore — they’re chasing space, character and a manageable commute to a major job center, and they’re willing to pay a premium to get it,” said Hannah Jones, Senior Economist at Realtor.com. “What’s especially notable is how financially prepared these buyers are. Even in ZIP codes where typical local incomes aren’t enough to cover today’s home prices, buyers are showing up with larger down payments and stronger credit profiles than the national norm, which tells us this demand is real and well-capitalized.”

The 2026 Hottest ZIP Codes in America, in rank order, are:

• 01960 Peabody, Mass. in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH*
• 07042 Montclair, N.J. in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
• 08080 Sewell, N.J. in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD*
• 14450 Fairport, N.Y. in Rochester, NY
• 01085 Westfield, Mass. in Springfield, MA
• 48154 Livonia, Mich. in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
• 17543 Lititz, Pa. in Lancaster, PA
• 06473 North Haven, Conn. in New Haven, CT
• 53151 New Berlin, Wi. in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
• 60187 Wheaton, Ill. in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

(Starred ZIPs are in metros that were on last years’ ranking)

Realtor.com noted that three of this year’s ZIPs and seven of the associated metro areas have appeared on the Hottest ZIP Codes list before, although none of this year’s ZIPs repeated directly from last year’s ranking.

South & West Absent from List

The overlap traces back to 2017, 2021 and 2024, Realtor.com noted. Three ZIPs are appearing for the first time in every sense: Lititz, Pennsylvania (17543), North Haven, Connecticut (06473) and New Berlin, Wisconsin. (53151), a sign that demand is continuing to spread into smaller markets within the same Northeast and Midwest corridors that have dominated the rankings in recent years, Realtor.com noted.

For the fourth straight year, the South and West failed to produce a single entry on the list, while the Northeast and Midwest dominated with ZIPs spanning Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.

Realtor.com said that comparatively tight new-construction pipelines in these metros have kept a lid on supply, while more robust homebuilding and softer price growth across the South and West over the past two years have eased competition in those regions.

Nationally, for-sale inventory remained 11.3% below pre-pandemic norms in June 2026 — but in the hottest ZIPs, that shortfall widened to 60.5%, more than five times the national gap, which is fueling the competition reflected in this year’s rankings, Realtor.com said.

The website noted that listings in the top 10 ZIPs also significantly outpaced the broader market on engagement and pace, drawing 3.0 to 5.3 times more views per property than the U.S. norm and selling 30 to 42 days faster.

Nationally, Realtor.com said that the typical home sold for about 2.3% below list price in the first half of 2026. In the 10 hottest ZIPs, nine of 10 saw homes sell at or above asking, with an average sale-to-list ratio of roughly 103.8%.

They ‘Want it All’

And, Realtor.com said, today’s buyers aren’t simply chasing affordability — they want it all.

Nine of the 10 hottest ZIPs are priced above their surrounding metro, and eight of the 10 feature homes that run notably larger than the typical listing in their metro, Realtor.com said. Across all 10 ZIPs, Realtor.com noted that the median home for sale measured 2,000 square feet, compared with a metro median of 1,600 and a national median of 1,800.

Realtor.com said that these ZIPs also cluster in a similar commuting band, sitting roughly 10 to 20 miles from their metro’s central business district — close enough to support a regular in-office schedule, but distant enough to offer the space and quiet of suburban living. The housing stock skews older, too, with a median year built across the 10 ZIPs averaging 1970, about a decade older than the all-ZIP average.

Seven of the 10 hottest ZIPs show local median household income running ahead of what’s required to afford the typical home there, assuming a 20% down payment and a 6.55% mortgage rate.

Buyer financial profiles across the hottest ZIPs run well ahead of the national norm, Realtor.com noted. The average down payment across the list is 17.1%, compared with roughly 13.1% nationally, and the average median credit score is 766, versus about 747 nationally.

Located about 20 miles north of downtown Boston, top-ranked Peabody offers buyers highway access to the city, a North Shore setting and a blend of small-town character with proximity to a major job center. Homes there spent a median of just 20 days on the market in the first half of 2026 and sold modestly over asking, even as the typical U.S. home sold under list price.

Realtor.com said that demand is mostly homegrown — 70% of Peabody’s listing views came from within the Boston metro itself — and buyer financials there look close to the national norm, with a 14% average down payment and 747 median credit score.