The hottest place for U.S. home shoppers right now features modest detached homes on generous lots, suburban shopping and highway access to downtown Boston, just 20 miles away.
Peabody, Massachusetts, was the most in-demand ZIP code for homebuyersin the first half of 2026, according to real estate listings platform Realtor.com, which ranks ZIP codes based on how many views listings receive and how quickly homes sell. The last time Peabody was on the list was in 2021, when it ranked No. 3.
With a $600,000 median list price, Peabody is relatively affordable compared with some of the North Shore's wealthier communities. It's also the only one of this year's 10 hottest ZIP codes where the median listing price is lower than in its surrounding metro.
The other nine are more expensive than their surrounding metros, while eight of the 10 have more spacious homes than their surrounding metros.
That marks a change fromprevious years, says Hannah Jones, senior economist at Realtor.com. "The list has really migrated from being bang for your buck, more affordable ZIP-code focused to established neighborhoods that offer value but tend to be higher price," she tells CNBC Make It.
Here are the 10 hottest ZIP codes for homebuyers in 2026, according to Realtor.com.
1. Peabody, Massachusetts (01960)
2. Montclair, New Jersey (07042)
5. Westfield, Massachusetts (01085)
7. Lititz, Pennsylvania (17543)
8. North Haven, Connecticut (06473)
9. New Berlin, Wisconsin (53151)
Many of the hottest ZIP codes are suburbs or smaller communities that offer more space while keeping buyers close to major cities. Sewell, New Jersey, is less than 20 miles from Philadelphia, while New Berlin, Wisconsin, is roughly 15 miles west of Milwaukee.
The pattern plays out around smaller cities, too, with Fairport outside Rochester, New York, and North Haven near New Haven, Connecticut.
Why the Northeast and Midwest dominate the hottest ZIP codes
For the fourth year in a row, all 10 of Realtor.com's hottest ZIP codes are in the Northeast or Midwest.
That's largely because fewer homes have been built in those regions, leaving buyers to compete for fewer properties, Jones says. The number of homes for sale in the 10 hottest ZIP codes is 60.5% below pre-pandemic levels, compared with 11.3% nationally.
By contrast, while many markets in the South and West remain in high demand,more homes have been builtin and around their growing metro areas over the last four or five years, which "thins out that demand per property," Jones says.
At the same time, the buyers competing for homes in this year's hottest ZIP codes tend to befinancially well prepared. Across the top 10, the average down payment was 17.1%, compared with 13.1% nationally, while the median credit score was 766, compared with 747 nationally.
Many are also likely to be older repeat homeowners who can use equity from an existing home toward their next purchase, Jones says. "It's really these extremely financially prepared buyers who are shopping in these higher-priced areas because they can compete," says Jones, noting that high home prices and borrowing costs are pushing many middle- and lower-income buyers to the sidelines in these markets.
Want to get ahead at work? Then you need to learn how to make effective small talk.In CNBC's new online course,How To Talk To People At Work, expert instructors share practical strategies to help you use everyday conversations to gain visibility, build meaningful relationships and accelerate your career growth. Sign up today!
Take control of your money with CNBC Select
CNBC Select is editorially independent and may earn a commission from affiliate partners on links.
Get Make It newsletters delivered to your inbox
Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It
