Overview
- Zillow names Hartford the No. 1 market for 2026 as inventory sits 63% below pre‑pandemic levels, the largest shortfall among major metros.
- In 2025, 66% of Hartford homes sold above list and typical listings lasted about a week, indicating fierce buyer competition.
- Zillow projects Hartford to lead 2026 home-value gains at about 3.9%, alongside a national forecast of 1.7% growth and mortgage rates drifting toward 6%.
- Buffalo slips to No. 2 after two years at the top, with New York, Providence, and San Jose completing the top five.
- The ranking combines past and expected price growth with 2025 competition data and job growth per new home permitted, reflecting concentrated heat in the Northeast and coastal California.