3 MA Towns Among 10 'Hottest' ZIP Codes In U.S., New List Says

MASSACHUSETTS — Three of the "hottest" places to live in 2024 are right here in Massachusetts, according to a list by Realtor.com released Tuesday.

Salem ranked third, Leominster ranked seventh, and Westfield ranked eighth on the new Hottest ZIP Codes Report — a national ranking of the top real estate markets, according to the website.

Salem's median home listing price was $596,000 in the first half of the calendar year. During that timeframe, the average property for sale attracted 3.6 viewers per day, lasting 16 days on the market, according to Realtor.com's data.

Leominster had a $462,000 median home listing price, 4.2 viewers per day, and 21 days on the market. Westfield had a $347,000 median home listing price, 5.2 viewers per day, and 20 days on the market on average in the same time frame.

Realtor.com's Hottest Zip Code rankings are based on an algorithm that takes into account two aspects of the housing market:

1. Market demand, as measured by unique viewers per property on Realtor.com.
2. The pace of the market, as measured by the number of days a listing remains active on the website.

"The hottest areas are those that have high demand from buyers, in other words, lots of unique viewers per each property, and fast-selling homes, an indicator of limited supply," according to Realtor.com.

This year's top 10 only featured locales in the Northeast and Midwest. Real estate markets in the Southern and Western regions have gotten pricier after movers flocked to the areas during the pandemic, Realtor.com explains.

Many of the top 10 markets are also around major metro areas, offering significantly lower prices than the bigger cities nearby. Gawanna, Ohio (43230) the highest-ranked Zip code for a second-straight year — is just outside of Columbus.

"Although mortgage rate relief is starting to materialize," said Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale, "this year's hottest ZIPs reflect the focus on affordability that home shoppers have had over the last few years in the face of high housing costs. Concentrated in larger metros across the Northeast and Midwest, these top 10 ZIPs attracted highly qualified home buyers seeking more space without relinquishing proximity to urban amenities."

View Realtor.com's rankings.