Peabody, Massachusetts, (that’s Pee-buh-dee for out-of-towners), a commuting-distance suburb of Boston located about 15 minutes Northeast on the city’s pricey North Shore, is taking first prize in this year’s Hottest Zip Codes of 2026 report from Realtor.com®, which ranks zip codes based on how many views listings receive and how quickly homes sell.
According to the report, this year’s list includes zips tied to some of the largest metros in the Midwest and Northeast—New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Detroit—underscoring how much appeal big-city-adjacent living still holds for today’s buyers.
The ranking highlights areas that continue to garner buyer interest, even as the nationwide trends point to slower home sales and softer price trends in many markets.
“This combination of high traffic and rapid sales underscores the urgency and competitiveness that define these markets,” said Realtor.com Senior Economist Hannah Jones. “Buyers in these areas are ready to act quickly and decisively, deviating from the more mellow national market.”
This year’s rankings come against a backdrop of elevated borrowing costs, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate holding near 6.7%, reaching above year-ago levels for the first time in 44 weeks. Rates have been increasing for the last five consecutive weeks, and have increased to 6.76% as of this writing, however economists point to improving trends in housing inventory and list prices as a silver lining for buyers in some regions.
The Hottest ZIP Code rankings take into account two aspects of the housing market: 1) market demand, as measured by unique viewers per property on Realtor.com, and 2) the pace of the market as measured by the number of days a typical listing is active on Realtor.com. The hottest areas are those that have high demand from buyers, in other words, lots of unique viewers per each property listed for sale, and fast-selling homes, an indicator of limited supply, according to Realtor.com.
The country’s 10 Hottest ZIP Codes fall within desirable suburban areas, where buyers can take advantage of slower-paced living without giving up access to an economic hub, the listings portal reports. Here’s a look at the top 10 most in-demand zip codes for 2026.
1. Peabody, Massachusetts (01960)
- Median listing price: $600,000
- Views per property: 4.1 x U.S. average
- Montclair, New Jersey (07042)
- Median listing price: $1.05 million
- Views per property: 3.3 x U.S. average
- Sewell, New Jersey (08080)
- Median listing price: $426,000
- Views per property: 3.8 x U.S. average
- Fairport, New York (14450)
- Median listing price: $429,000
- Views per property: 5.3 x U.S. average
- Westfield, Massachusetts (01085)
- Median listing price: $381,000
- Views per property: 5.2 x U.S. average
- Livonia, Michigan (48154)
- Median listing price: $338,000
- Views per property: 3.4 x U.S. average
- Lititz, Pennsylvania (17543)
- Median listing price: $598,000
- Views per property: 3.8 x U.S. average
- North Haven, Connecticut (06473)
- Median listing price: $562,000
- Views per property: 5.3 x U.S. average
- New Berlin, Wisconsin (53151)
- Median listing price: $445,000
- Views per property: 4.5 x U.S. average
- Wheaton, Illinois (60187)
- Median listing price: $575,000
- Views per property: 3.0 x U.S. average
For-sale homes in these top 10 zip codes saw on average three to five times more traffic than the typical listing nationwide and sold between 30 and 42 days faster than the U.S. norm during the first six months of 2026, according to the report.
Data indicates that nine of the 10 hottest zip codes, with Peabody being the sole exception, are priced above their surrounding metro, signaling that buyers there are not just chasing the lowest price tag.
“They want it all: a nice home in the suburbs, the amenities to match, and easy access to an economic hub,” said Jones. “This reflects a broader shift in the buyer pool, which skews higher-earning and more willing to trade savings for space, amenities, and accessibility.”
Jones said the buyer profile that emerges from the 2026 hottest zip codes report is someone with sufficient assets who is ready to compete for a home they want and focused on long-term value.
“These buyers are moving fast, thinking big and choosing communities that offer the right blend of value, access, and quality of life,” adds the economist. “As mortgage rates remain high and inventory levels gradually recover, expect these kinds of high-performing, value-driven suburban areas to remain at the forefront of market activity.”
