Midwest Markets Heat Up as Homebuyer Demand Grows in These 3 States

The Northeast and the Midwest continue to draw the most attention from homebuyers in search of an affordable spot to land.

While demand cools across the largest U.S. metros, these areas continue to attract potential homebuyers, garnering 5.5% more views per listing, according to the Realtor.com® October 2025 Hottest Housing Markets report.

On the list, 11 of the month's hottest markets were located in the Midwest, with six metros in Wisconsin, four in Illinois, and one in Ohio.

The Realtor.com Market Hotness rankings take into account two aspects of the housing market: 1) market demand, as measured by unique views per property on Realtor.com, and 2) the pace of the market as measured by the number of days a listing remains active on Realtor.com.

"Wisconsin, Ohio, and Illinois continue to stand out as affordable housing markets with strong local economies, drawing home shoppers who are seeking both opportunity and value," says Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com. "Markets where home prices sit below the national median, or below those of nearby major metros, have gained notable traction in recent years as affordability constraints weigh heavily on buyer demand."

These markets drew an average of 2.6 times the number of listing views compared to the typical U.S. listings in October. Homes were also sold on average 27 days faster.

The report reveals that Midwest homeowners are still seeing a strong housing market. There's high buyer demand, tight inventory, and solid price growth, which means homeowners are in a good position to sell their homes fast and for a profit.

As mortgage rates remain close to 6%—these markets where home prices are a bit more affordable—buyers may be more apt to make a move to purchase a home.

Midwest appeal

Four Wisconsin metros rank in the top 10 hottest housing markets: Kenosha comes in at No. 3 with a median list price of $380,000; Racine ($372,000) and Wausau ($368,000) are tied at No. 8; and Appleton ($400,000) rounds out the top 10.

Affordability is a common denominator attracting people to the Midwest.

Mitch Coluzzi, co-founder and head of construction at SoldFast, has a team across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. He says affordability plays a large role in why Midwest metros are showing consistent growth.

"Compared to coastal cities like L.A., Seattle, Boston, or New York, the cost of living is more attainable," Coluzzi tells Realtor.com. "Not just for people born and raised here, but also for the growing number of remote workers choosing to relocate to the Midwest."

Ahmed Harhara knows that first-hand. He grew up in the Midwest, but moved to Houston for his job as an engineer.

"I would’ve stayed in Michigan. All of my family is still there, and I visit often," Harhara, Ph.D., engineer and founder, HoustonHomeTools.com tells Realtor.com. "It’s a great community: family-oriented, friendly, and very grounded."

Affordability and the quality of life are what draw people to put down roots in the Midwest. The report found that Kenosha, WI (-12.3%), Appleton, WI (-12.1%), and Racine, WI (-9.3%), saw the biggest annual inventory declines among the hottest markets in September as demand continues to outpace supply.

"Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Madison are reinvesting in themselves more than ever, amplifying their unique cultures," Coluzzi points out. "So you have thriving, large cities surrounded by affordable midsize metros."

It hasn't always been the case that affordability has driven housing demand in America's hottest markets, Jones explains.

"But in today’s high-rate, high-price environment, affordability has become the dominant factor, the new 'must have' for many buyers navigating limited budgets," she says.

Northeast influence

The Northeast is well represented, with Springfield, MA, once again taking the top spot for a sixth month in a row.

This is the ninth time in the data's history that Springfield has come out on top. High demand and low inventory are the main drivers for this larger Boston/New England area topping the hot markets list over the past few years. The views per property and time on the market outpace the rest of the country.

In October alone, Springfield attracted 3.1 times the viewers per property compared to the national norm. Homes spent more than a month less time on the market.

Springfield has a median list price of $362,000—which attracts buyers from the Boston, New York City, and Hartford, CT, metros. Hartford came in at No. 2 among the hottest housing markets.

Also, making the top 10 are Lancaster, PA, and New Haven-Milford, CT (both tied at No. 4), and Manchester-Nashua, NH (No. 7).

"Perhaps the biggest surprise is that there have been no major surprises on the Hottest Markets list for some time," Jones says. "The housing landscape has remained relatively stable, with the Midwest and Northeast continuing to dominate. Until there’s a meaningful shift in either housing supply or buyer demand, these regions are likely to hold their position at the top of the rankings."