2026 rankings · June 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.

2026 listsBest cash-flow markets 2026Best appreciation markets 2026Best first-rental markets 2026 All dashboards Monthly movers
#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.

The 2026 list
1

Hinesville, GA

$279,619 median list · -3.4% 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

$554,500 median list · -4.3% YoY · +73% vs own long-run trend
+75%
5-yr index
+7.2%
1-yr index
121.0%
10-yr index
3

Knoxville, TN

$462,450 median list · +0.5% 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

$499,000 median list · -12.8% 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

$417,425 median list · +4.6% YoY · +68% vs own long-run trend
+72%
5-yr index
+5.3%
1-yr index
123.0%
10-yr index
6

Morristown, TN

$459,000 median list · -5.1% YoY · +85% vs own long-run trend
+71%
5-yr index
+6.9%
1-yr index
134.5%
10-yr index
7

Lewiston, ME

$375,750 median list · -0.2% YoY · +79% vs own long-run trend
+70%
5-yr index
+6.2%
1-yr index
135.4%
10-yr index
8

Charleston, SC

$499,925 median list · -6.6% YoY · +66% vs own long-run trend
+69%
5-yr index
+2.7%
1-yr index
137.7%
10-yr index
9

Fayetteville, AR

$452,759 median list · -0.5% YoY · +81% vs own long-run trend
+69%
5-yr index
+3.9%
1-yr index
130.1%
10-yr index
10

Pinehurst, NC

$479,706 median list · -1.0% YoY · +64% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+3.0%
1-yr index
117.6%
10-yr index
11

Kingsport, TN

$325,000 median list · +1.9% YoY · +59% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+1.7%
1-yr index
110.3%
10-yr index
12

Trenton, NJ

$472,500 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

$312,450 median list · -4.5% 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

$567,875 median list · +3.2% YoY · +94% vs own long-run trend
+68%
5-yr index
+2.8%
1-yr index
134.5%
10-yr index
15

Wilmington, NC

$484,950 median list · -3.0% YoY · +74% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+4.4%
1-yr index
131.3%
10-yr index
16

Jackson, TN

$299,900 median list · +0.0% YoY · +86% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+4.0%
1-yr index
111.3%
10-yr index
17

Rockford, IL

$264,500 median list · +6.3% YoY · +94% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+6.9%
1-yr index
114.1%
10-yr index
18

Savannah, GA

$407,584 median list · -4.5% YoY · +68% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+0.6%
1-yr index
121.5%
10-yr index
19

Vineland, NJ

$299,000 median list · -0.8% YoY · +62% vs own long-run trend
+67%
5-yr index
+2.8%
1-yr index
109.4%
10-yr index
20

Fayetteville, NC

$289,425 median list · -8.7% 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

$424,900 median list · -13.7% 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

$427,750 median list · -6.4% YoY · +47% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+4.1%
1-yr index
107.7%
10-yr index
23

Syracuse, NY

$319,950 median list · -3.8% 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

$317,000 median list · +3.5% YoY · +61% vs own long-run trend
+66%
5-yr index
+8.0%
1-yr index
96.2%
10-yr index
25

Burlington, NC

$372,358 median list · +0.2% 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.

Based on public records and industry data, as of June 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.