West Chester,
Pennsylvania, ranked as Zillow shoppers' favorite market of
2023
SEATTLE, Dec. 19,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The most popular market among
Zillow® surfers this year was West
Chester, Pennsylvania. After the West Coast ruled in
2021 and the Midwest took the top spot last year, the
Northeast dominated this year's list.
Zillow surfers generally gravitated toward smaller cities in
2023. Of the 10 most popular markets, only one — Manchester, New Hampshire — has a population
of more than 100,000, and most have 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, California, 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, South
Carolina, for the top retirement town. West Chester 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. "Heading into next year, the winds
appear to be shifting just a bit. 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.
Most popular on Zillow overall: West Chester,
Pennsylvania
West
Chester, Pennsylvania, a quaint town of about 20,000 people
near Philadelphia, took the top
spot in Zillow's list of 2023's most popular
markets.
Strong interest among home shoppers on Zillow has helped push
West Chester home values about 8%
higher over the past year. 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, such
as New York City and Washington, D.C., those looking for a break
from city life may see West
Chester as an attractive and affordable place to call
home.
West Chester ranked within the
top 100 cities in Zillow page views per listing in Zillow's
rankings, far outperforming its size. Almost two-thirds of those
views came from outside the city, possibly signaling interest in
moving there.
While West Chester took the top
spot, New England towns were the favorite among Zillow surfers this
year: Seven of the 10 most popular markets of 2023 were in either
New Hampshire or Connecticut.
Most popular large city: Chula
Vista, California1
While
affordability ruled the day for many home shoppers on
Zillow, the San Diego area
also had a strong pull. Chula Vista, just south of San Diego, was the most popular large city —
those with a population of 250,000 or greater — among Zillow
surfers. The typical home in Chula Vista is worth about $808,000. San
Diego itself, with a typical home value of about
$962,000, ranked
third.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, took
second in Zillow's most popular large cities ranking. Cincinnati and Durham, North Carolina, were fourth and fifth,
respectively.
Most popular seaside town: South
Portland, Maine2
South Portland was the most popular seaside
town among Zillow surfers this year. Buyers eyeing a home in
South Portland must move quickly;
homes that sold there in 2023 typically found a buyer after just
one week on the market.
Two Connecticut cities —
West Haven and Milford — were the second- and
third-most-popular seaside towns this year. Oceanside, California, was the top Pacific
Ocean destination, ranking fourth overall.
Most popular vacation town: Vermilion,
Ohio3
Situated along the shore of
Lake Erie, Vermilion came out on top in Zillow's
rankings of the most popular vacation towns this year.
Vermilion is a popular summer
destination for boaters and those looking for a city with
old-fashioned charm.
This year's results may reflect the impact that higher mortgage
rates are having on even those shopping for a vacation home. While
last year's most popular vacation town, Lavallette, New Jersey, boasts a typical home
value of more than $1 million, the
typical home in Vermilion is worth
a little more than $225,000.
Most popular retirement town: Pinehurst, North
Carolina4
While Florida held the top spots for Zillow's
most popular retirement towns last year, the Carolinas
took the crown this year. Pinehurst was the most popular
retirement town among Zillow surfers in 2023, edging
out Hilton Head Island, South
Carolina.
With warm climates and golf courses galore, it's easy to see why
both cities are popular among retirees.
Most popular college towns: West
Chester, Pennsylvania, and Kent,
Ohio5
Zillow's most popular market overall
for 2023, West Chester, also took
the title of the most popular college town, as the home of
West Chester University. Coming in
second was Kent, Ohio, with Kent
State University.
Rounding out the top five were Newark,
Delaware (University of
Delaware); San Luis Obispo,
California (California Polytechnic State University); and
Ypsilanti, Michigan (Eastern Michigan University).
1 Large cities are defined as having a population of
at least 250,000 people, according to 2021 American Community
Survey data.
2 Seaside towns are defined as areas where more
than half of listing descriptions on Zillow mentioned
the beach, and excluded all cities that don't feature the word
"beach" in at least 50 listings on
Zillow.
3 Vacation towns are defined as
areas where more than 33% of the housing units are designated for
non-primary use, according to 2021 American Community Survey
data.
4 Retirement towns are defined as areas where at least
33% of the population is over the age of 65 and has no children or
other relatives (other than a spouse) living in the home.
5 College towns are defined as cities with at least 20%
of the population enrolled in higher education, according to 2021
American Community Survey data.
About Zillow Group
Zillow Group, Inc.
(NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a
reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate
website in the United States,
Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they
want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and
easier buying, selling, financing and renting
experiences.
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All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow
affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS
#10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2023 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a
Zillow affiliate.
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SOURCE Zillow