2026 rankings · September 2026 data

The best appreciation markets of 2026

The 25 hardest-compounding U.S. metros of the past five years by long-run house-price growth — with the context that separates earned growth from stretched prices.

SOBy Samuel Okonkwo
Property Investment Analyst
LVReviewed by Lena Voss
Housing Market Editor
Published July 5, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026Editorial persona: WealthyBud bylines are editorial personas, not real individuals. Pages are produced by the WealthyBud research team from the public data cited on each page.
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Which markets made the the best appreciation markets of 2026 list?

The 25 hardest-compounding U.S. metros of the past five years by long-run house-price growth — with the context that separates earned growth from stretched prices.

#1 for 2026Hinesville, GA+82% in five years
Index-covered metros373House price index, Q1 2026
25th-ranked 5-yr gain+66%The bar to make this list

These are the metros that have compounded home values hardest over the last five years, by the most conservative public measure there is — a long-run all-transactions house price index, built from actual purchase and refinance appraisals. Hinesville, GA tops the 2026 list at +82% since 2021, and every entry shows its 1- and 10-year record plus how far today's prices sit from the metro's own long-run trend — because a big five-year run can mean earned growth, or borrowed future.

1

Hinesville, GA

$279,800 median list · -2.9% YoY · +75% vs own long-run trend
+82%
5-yr index
+3.8%
1-yr index
135.8%
10-yr index
2

Atlantic City, NJ

$544,450 median list · +0.4% YoY · +73% vs own long-run trend
+75%
5-yr index
+7.2%
1-yr index
121.0%
10-yr index
3

Knoxville, TN

$447,000 median list · -0.7% YoY · +76% vs own long-run trend
+73%
5-yr index
+3.3%
1-yr index
138.9%
10-yr index
4

Hilton Head, SC

$497,000 median list · -10.8% YoY · +85% vs own long-run trend
+72%
5-yr index
+1.3%
1-yr index
129.8%
10-yr index
5

Johnson City, TN

$417,450 median list · +3.7% YoY · +68% vs own long-run trend
+72%
5-yr index
+5.3%
1-yr index
123.0%
10-yr index
6

Morristown, TN

$479,500 median list · +4.6% YoY · +85% vs own long-run trend
+71%
5-yr index
+6.9%
1-yr index
134.5%
10-yr index
7

Lewiston, ME

$369,675 median list · +0.1% YoY · +79% vs own long-run trend
+70%
5-yr index
+6.2%
1-yr index
135.4%
10-yr index
8

Charleston, SC

$479,450 median list · -4.7% YoY · +66% vs own long-run trend
+69%
5-yr index
+2.7%
1-yr index
137.7%
10-yr index
9

Fayetteville, AR

$441,000 median list · -0.9% YoY · +81% vs own long-run trend
+69%
5-yr index
+3.9%
1-yr index
130.1%
10-yr index
10

Pinehurst, NC

$472,000 median list · -2.7% YoY · +64% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+3.0%
1-yr index
117.6%
10-yr index
11

Kingsport, TN

$339,450 median list · +3.8% YoY · +59% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+1.7%
1-yr index
110.3%
10-yr index
12

Trenton, NJ

$449,900 median list · +0.5% YoY · +61% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+4.9%
1-yr index
98.3%
10-yr index
13

Bangor, ME

$309,725 median list · +0.7% YoY · +68% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+9.7%
1-yr index
114.0%
10-yr index
14

Traverse City, MI

$541,250 median list · -4.2% YoY · +94% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+2.8%
1-yr index
134.5%
10-yr index
15

Wilmington, NC

$471,489 median list · -5.5% YoY · +74% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+4.4%
1-yr index
131.3%
10-yr index
16

Rockford, IL

$268,500 median list · +7.4% YoY · +94% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+6.9%
1-yr index
114.1%
10-yr index
17

Jackson, TN

$297,450 median list · -3.3% YoY · +86% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+4.0%
1-yr index
111.3%
10-yr index
18

Savannah, GA

$399,900 median list · -3.6% YoY · +68% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+0.6%
1-yr index
121.5%
10-yr index
19

Vineland, NJ

$299,950 median list · -4.0% YoY · +62% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+2.8%
1-yr index
109.4%
10-yr index
20

Fayetteville, NC

$281,000 median list · -6.3% YoY · +65% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+2.5%
1-yr index
104.9%
10-yr index
21

Green Bay, WI

$422,175 median list · -13.4% YoY · +85% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+4.0%
1-yr index
115.3%
10-yr index
22

Great Falls, MT

$429,500 median list · -0.7% YoY · +47% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+4.1%
1-yr index
107.7%
10-yr index
23

Syracuse, NY

$304,894 median list · +2.9% YoY · +61% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+9.0%
1-yr index
108.4%
10-yr index
24

Jefferson City, MO

$333,400 median list · +7.7% YoY · +61% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+8.0%
1-yr index
96.2%
10-yr index
25

Burlington, NC

$347,874 median list · -4.8% YoY · +94% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+2.2%
1-yr index
120.7%
10-yr index

How this list is built

Universe: the 373 metros with a long-run house price index and at least 100 active listings. Ranked purely by 5-year index change — long enough to skip pandemic noise, short enough to describe this cycle. The 'vs own long-run trend' figure is each metro's deviation from its 2000–2019 log-linear path (the same measure behind our valuation dashboard): a strongly positive number means the run has stretched prices, and past appreciation is descriptive, not predictive. The live appreciation dashboard tracks 1/5/10-year leaders monthly.

Frequently asked questions

Which market ranks #1 on WealthyBud's the best appreciation markets of 2026 list?
Hinesville, GA ranks first on this list, based on September 2026 data. The 25 hardest-compounding U.S. metros of the past five years by long-run house-price growth — with the context that separates earned growth from stretched prices.
How is this ranking calculated?
Universe: the 373 metros with a long-run house price index and at least 100 active listings. Ranked purely by 5-year index change — long enough to skip pandemic noise, short enough to describe this cycle. The 'vs own long-run trend' figure is each metro's deviation from its 2000–2019 log-linear path (the same measure behind our valuation dashboard): a strongly positive number means the run has stretched prices, and past appreciation is descriptive, not predictive.
Is this list investment advice?
No. It is a data-derived screen computed from the public sources cited on this page, using the formula shown above. It does not account for a specific property's condition, taxes, insurance, financing or your goals, so verify any market independently and run real numbers before you buy.
SO

Samuel Okonkwo Property Investment Analyst

Samuel Okonkwo is a property investment analyst who covers cap rates, cash-flow modeling and rental-property ROI for single-family and small multifamily investors. He builds his models from public rent and price data to help readers compare markets objectively.

Editorial persona: WealthyBud bylines are editorial personas, not real individuals. Pages are produced by the WealthyBud research team from the public data cited on each page.

Based on public records and industry data, as of September 2026; refreshed as sources update. Full formulas and source limits: full methodology. Rankings and scores are data-derived opinions for research, not investment advice — verify current conditions with a local agent, lender or MLS before acting.