Home values climbed in almost every big American city in the early 2020s, but by wildly different amounts. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey asks owners what their home is worth, and the same question in 2019 and 2024 shows how far each city moved.
In the typical city of 150,000+ people, the median home value rose 52%.
Where home values rose most
| City | Median value, 2019 | Median value, 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN | $158,700 | $307,300 | +94% |
| Kansas City, KS | $99,700 | $192,800 | +93% |
| Birmingham, AL | $98,800 | $189,800 | +92% |
| Knoxville, TN | $155,400 | $294,700 | +90% |
| Rochester, NY | $87,000 | $164,300 | +89% |
| Tampa, FL | $265,700 | $494,400 | +86% |
| Brownsville, TX | $95,600 | $176,300 | +84% |
| Huntsville, AL | $185,200 | $339,400 | +83% |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $154,200 | $281,200 | +82% |
| Lehigh Acres, FL | $183,800 | $332,800 | +81% |
| Memphis, TN | $115,900 | $209,800 | +81% |
| St. Petersburg, FL | $242,700 | $436,200 | +80% |
The biggest gains came in lower-priced cities: the top of the list is mostly cities where the median home was under $200,000 in 2019. A $90,000 gain is 90% of a $100,000 home but under 8% of a $1.2 million one.
Where they rose least
| City | Median value, 2019 | Median value, 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $1,217,500 | $1,314,700 | +8% |
| Oakland, CA | $807,600 | $884,000 | +9% |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $1,567,100 | $1,719,600 | +10% |
| Honolulu, HI | $754,700 | $850,100 | +13% |
| Washington, DC | $646,500 | $733,400 | +13% |
| New York, NY | $680,800 | $778,600 | +14% |
| Boston, MA | $627,000 | $722,800 | +15% |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $603,100 | $710,700 | +18% |
| Shreveport, LA | $152,000 | $182,100 | +20% |
| Alexandria, VA | $572,500 | $704,200 | +23% |
| Yonkers, NY | $422,700 | $521,700 | +23% |
| Seattle, WA | $767,000 | $950,800 | +24% |
The slowest growth came in the most expensive markets: the Bay Area, Honolulu, Washington, New York and Boston. Prices there started highest.
Owner estimates, not sale prices
The Census figure is what owners say their home would sell for, across every owner-occupied home in the city, not just the ones that sold. Owners tend to lag the market a little in both directions. It's still the only home value measured the same way for every city in the country.
Where values are heading now
The early-2020s run-up has slowed. The FHFA house price index fell over the past year in 11 of the 119 metro areas containing these cities; see where home prices are falling. Each city's home value forecast moves its 2024 Census value forward by its metro's index and projects to 2027. For a specific ZIP code, use Predictye Property.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, for every US city of 150,000+ people. Medians are used only where the margin of error is within 10% of the estimate. 2019 and 2024 surveys (median value of owner-occupied housing units).
Don't guess. Just Predictye.