The most desirable ZIP code for U.S. homebuyers isn't in a big city on the coast — it's a cozy suburb in Ohio.
Gahanna, Ohio, is the most in-demand area in the country, according to an analysis of over 29,000 ZIP codes by Realtor.com.
The 2023 rankings for each ZIP code are based on two things: how quickly homes were sold, and the median number of times listings were viewed on Realtor.com, divided by the median number of views a property receives for the U.S. in general.
Here are the top 15 places:
With lots of parks and a short commute to downtown Columbus, Ohio, the neighborhood of Gahanna offers spacious homes for an affordable price. The median price of a home is $389,000, less than the U.S. median of $445,000, per Realtor.com data.
Gahanna residents are relatively affluent, too. The median household income is $95,547, slightly above the U.S. median of $88,590, according to U.S. Census data.
As for the other top ZIP codes, buyer demand is concentrated in the affordable Midwest or Northeast neighborhoods near large cities.
Affordable is a relative term, however, as homes in both Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Andover, Massachusetts, sell for well over double the national median home price. That said, home listings in both neighborhoods offer more space than what is typically found in major cities, which can make them more of a bargain to homebuyers.
Many potential buyers for the top 15 ZIP codes are from large cities nearby, which suggests they're looking for cheaper homes locally, the study says.
In terms of demand, homes in the most desirable ZIP codes are snatched up quickly. In six places, homes were typically sold in less than 20 days, far less than the national average of 44 days, per a June real estate report by Realtor.com.
Notably, no ZIP codes in the Southwestern part of the country made the top rankings, even though cities in these regions were migration hotspots during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is largely due to "significant price growth" since 2020 that has made them less affordable, the study says.
Data for these rankings is based on Realtor.com listing data between January 2023 and June 2023. The list of top ZIP codes is limited to one ZIP code per metropolitan area.
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