Many money experts think buying a house or investing in real estate is a good idea because it’s like investing in your future. As you pay off your mortgage, you’ll own more of your home, which can be worth more over time. However, not everywhere is the same; some areas have better real estate values than others.
To figure out which places in the U.S. are the best for making your house worth more, GOBankingRates looked at data from Zillow for 2019, 2023, and 2024.
GOBankingRates Statistics
GOBankingRates gathered data to see how home values changed in different cities over one and five years. In 2019, the typical home in the U.S. was worth around $228,565. By 2023, it had gone up to $333,206, and in January 2024, it reached $343,951. That’s a significant increase of 50% over five years and a smaller increase of 3% in just one year.
Source:NewMarkHomes.com/Pinterest
So, if you’re thinking about investing in real estate or buying a home, here are 25 cities where the value is expected to go up.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $108,092
- January 2023: $188,703
- January 2024: $218,761
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 102%
- In 1 Year: 16%
Source: Zillow/Pinterest
Waterbury, Connecticut
Home Value
- January 2019: $124,467
- January 2023: $217,365
- January 2024: $249,073
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 100%
- In 1 Year: 15%
Lewiston, Maine
Home Value
- January 2019: $143,963
- January 2023: $242,023
- January 2024: $274,687
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 91%
- In 1 Year: 14%
Source: MindfulHome/Pinterest
Mercedes, Texas
Home Value
- January 2019: $64,507
- January 2023: $109,088
- January 2024: $123,572
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 92%
- In 1 Year: 13%
Torrington, Connecticut
Home Value
- January 2019: $141,705
- January 2023: $224,068
- January 2024: $255,834
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 81%
- In 1 Year: 14%
Source: JameShipleyRose
Irvington, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $178,726
- January 2023: $326,852
- January 2024: $359,441
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 101%
- In 1 Year: 10%
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $284,994
- January 2023: $434,543
- January 2024: $498,548
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 75%
- In 1 Year: 15%
Source: LennarCharlotte/Pinterest
Knoxville, Tennessee
Home Value
- January 2019: $182,043
- January 2023: $304,065
- January 2024: $341,351
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 88%
- In 1 Year: 12%
Camden, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $62,559
- January 2023: $103,036
- January 2024: $115,800
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 85%
- In 1 Year: 12%
Source: Ventana/Pinterest
Trenton, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $166,747
- January 2023: $273,347
- January 2024: $307,421
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 84%
- In 1 Year: 12%
Oakridge, Tennessee
Home Value
- January 2019: $148,905
- January 2023: $257,614
- January 2024: $285,447
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 92%
- In 1 Year: 11%
Source: Frank/Pinterest
East Orange, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $223,560
- January 2023: $384,067
- January 2024: $425,011
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 90%
- In 1 Year: 11%
Golden Glades, Florida
Home Value
- January 2019: $264,418
- January 2023: $441,474
- January 2024: $490,839
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 86%
- In 1 Year: 11%
Source: AyaseGaulden/Pinterest
Willingboro Township, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $158,060
- January 2023: $276,797
- January 2024: $303,989
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 92%
- In 1 Year: 10%
West Little River, Florida
Home Value
- January 2019: $218,465
- January 2023: $359,801
- January 2024: $401,228
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 84%
- In 1 Year: 12%
Source: CreativeMarket/Pinterest
Lakewood, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $402,932
- January 2023: $624,975
- January 2024: $706,816
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 75%
- In 1 Year: 13%
Donna, Texas
Home Value
- January 2019: $71,440
- January 2023: $118,083
- January 2024: $131,471
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 84%
- In 1 Year: 11%
Source: Flickr/Pinterest
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Home Value
- January 2019: $73,804
- January 2023: $125,195
- January 2024: $137,986
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 87%
- In 1 Year: 10%
Forest Park, Georgia
Home Value
- January 2019: $82,985
- January 2023: $169,505
- January 2024: $177,414
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 114%
- In 1 Year: 5%
Source: RobShepps/Pinterest
Clinton, Tennessee
Home Value
- January 2019: $158,185
- January 2023: $258,807
- January 2024: $287,509
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 82%
- In 1 Year: 11%
Miami Gardens, Florida
Home Value
- January 2019: $248,275
- January 2023: $405,043
- January 2024: $449,676
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 81%
- In 1 Year: 11%
Source: AlisonPogorelc/Pinterest
North Miami, Florida
Home Value
- January 2019: $257,269
- January 2023: $428,425
- January 2024: $473,109
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 84%
- In 1 Year: 10%
Linden, New Jersey
Home Value
- January 2019: $290,185
- January 2023: $442,133
- January 2024: $497,627
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 71%
- In 1 Year: 13%
Source: TimBradley/Pinterest
Lehigh Acres, Florida
Home Value
- January 2019: $164,688
- January 2023: $287,611
- January 2024: $312,991
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 90%
- In 1 Year: 9%
Elizabethton, Tennessee
Home Value
- January 2019: $117,162
- January 2023: $181,674
- January 2024: $203,565
Percentage Change
- In 5 Years: 74%
- In 1 Year: 12%
Source: Grist/Pinterest
In the real estate world, the cities where these houses are located are also important. For cities, the 2500 biggest housing markets, according to Zillow, were looked at. These homes have a one and five-year percent change in real estate or home value above the national average. Then, the areas were ranked based on how much their home values changed, with lower scores being better. The data used is from January 2024, and it’s all current up to February 19, 2024.