US Housing Markets to Watch in 2026: Surging and Cooling Metro Areas
Wage growth is projected to outpace home prices in 2026, but regional disparities will persist. Six metro areas are expected to see surging housing markets: Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Boise, Idaho; Phoenix, Arizona; Tampa, Florida; and Raleigh, North Carolina. These cities benefit from strong job growth, population inflows, and relatively affordable housing compared to coastal hubs. Conversely, six markets are likely to cool: San Francisco, California; New York, New York; Los Angeles, California; Seattle, Washington; Denver, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon. High prices, rising inventory, and slower migration are factors. The analysis from Quartz uses data on employment, demographics, and housing supply trends. No specific dates or sources beyond the publication are provided.
Key facts
- Wage growth may outpace home prices in 2026.
- Six housing markets are poised to surge: Austin, Nashville, Boise, Phoenix, Tampa, Raleigh.
- Six housing markets could cool: San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Portland.
- Surging markets are characterized by strong job growth and population inflows.
- Cooling markets face high prices and rising inventory.
- The analysis is based on employment, demographic, and housing supply data.
- The source is Quartz (qz.com).
- Regional disparities in housing market performance are expected.
Entities
Institutions
- Quartz
Locations
- Austin
- Texas
- Nashville
- Tennessee
- Boise
- Idaho
- Phoenix
- Arizona
- Tampa
- Florida
- Raleigh
- North Carolina
- San Francisco
- California
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Seattle
- Washington
- Denver
- Colorado
- Portland
- Oregon
Sources
- Quartz —