The 11 large U.S. cities where home prices are expected to rise the most in 2026
Home prices are expected to rise by about 2.2% nationally in 2026, but some large U.S. cities — mostly in the Midwest and Northeast — could see prices climb much faster.
That’s according to a recent Realtor.com forecast, which projects “a more balanced” housing market as higher inventory slows overall price growth. Even so, the moderation isn’t expected to be evenly felt.
“The Midwest and Northeast have maintained strong demand despite the broader slowdown, largely due to persistent inventory scarcity,” Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com, tells CNBC Make It.
While many markets in the South and West are seeing price growth flatten or turn negative as new construction adds supply, cities in the Midwest and Northeast have added fewer homes in recent years, which has helped kept prices moving higher, according to Realtor.com.
Here are the 11 large U.S. cities expected to see the biggest home-price increases in 2026:
1. Toledo, Ohio
Expected 2026 price growth: 13.1%
Median home price: $199,900
2. Syracuse, New York
Expected 2026 price growth: 12.4%
Median home price: $298,950
3. Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Expected 2026 price growth: 10.9%
Median home price: $260,000
4. Rochester, New York
Expected 2026 price growth: 10.3%
Median home price: $256,900
5. Hartford–West Hartford–East Hartford, Connecticut
Expected 2026 price growth: 9.5%
Median home price: $429,000
6. Baltimore–Columbia–Towson, Maryland
Expected 2026 price growth: 8.3%
Median home price: $375,000
7. New Haven–Milford, Connecticut
Expected 2026 price growth: 7.7%
Median home price: $439,000
8. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Expected 2026 price growth: 7.7%
Median home price: $342,899
9. Albany–Schenectady–Troy, New York
Expected 2026 price growth: 7.5%
Median home price: $419,900
10. Columbia, South Carolina
Expected 2026 price growth: 7.2%
Median home price: $303,300
11. Milwaukee–Waukesha–West Allis, Wisconsin
Expected 2026 price growth: 7%
Median home price: $379,000
Realtor.com’s metro-level forecasts are based on its own listings data, along with local inventory levels, new construction activity, employment and income trends, and mortgage rate expectations.
What those projections show is that in markets where very little housing has been added, even modest demand is enough to keep prices rising — especially in smaller Midwest and Northeast cities. By contrast, in markets where construction has been heavier, home prices in some areas are expected to fall by as much as 10% in 2026.
The metros with the highest expected gains “have seen very limited new housing development, keeping supply tight,” says Jones. At the same time, most of these cities have home prices “well below national averages,” she says.
Overall, only three of the 11 cities on the list have median listing prices above the U.S. median of about $415,000 as of late 2025.
Toledo stands out in particular for its relative affordability. The city’s median home price of about $199,900 is well below Ohio’s statewide median of roughly $275,000, per Realtor’s data.
Another factor is proximity to larger urban hubs.
“In the Northeast, demand has remained elevated as buyers seek more affordable, commutable alternatives to large, high-cost metros, such as New York and Boston,” says Jones. “Because new construction has lagged in many of these older, built-out Northeastern markets, supply constraints remain acute, amplifying the price impact of even modest demand growth.”
Source:CNBC