Redfin Ranks Top 10 U.S. Neighborhoods by Buyer Demand Growth for 2026

U.S. median home price has surpassed $400,000. Lincoln Park, Michigan, stands out with a median sale price of $158,000, less than half the national figure, while Oak Creek sits at $381,200 and Lee’s Summit at $397,500.

Demand is rising rapidly in these markets. Lincoln Park has seen a 14 percent year-over-year increase in home sales, with nearly 40 percent of homes sold above asking price. More than one-quarter of homes sold above asking in Howell.

In Oak Creek, 38 percent of homes sold above their listing price. 6 percent. 7 percent year over year.

“It’s pretty low inventory,” Anne Loehr, a Michigan-based Redfin Premier real estate agent, said in the report.

U.S. Census Bureau and Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council data, shows that seven of the 10 most accessible metros for young homeowners are in the Midwest. “For many, it’s not just about cheaper homes, but about being able to build wealth earlier without drowning in overhead,” Danielle Andrews, a real estate agent with Realty One Group Next Generation, previously told Fortune.

” Borrowing costs remain a headwind.

3 percent as of April 30, according to Freddie Mac, after the Federal Reserve held rates steady for a third time this year. Rates briefly dipped below 6 percent in mid-April before climbing back. They are still nearly double their pandemic-era lows, which were sub-3 percent.

The first-time buyer squeeze intensified in 2025. The share of first-time home buyers fell to a record low of 21 percent that year, according to a National Association of Realtors report. The typical age of a first-time buyer climbed to an all-time high of 40.

“The historically low share of first-time buyers underscores the real-world consequences of a housing market starved for affordable inventory,” Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research, said in a statement. The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene in Detroit on Nov. 16-17.