Kenosha Leads September's Hottest Housing Markets
Realtor.com's September ranking, published Oct. 9, puts Kenosha, Wis., at No. 1. The top 20 split evenly between the Midwest and the Northeast.
By Brandon Salem · 3 min read
Kenosha, Wisconsin, ranked as the nation's hottest housing market in September, according to Realtor.com research published Oct. 9, 2026. It is Kenosha's first time at No. 1 since January 2026.
Why this matters: Hot-market rankings show where listings attract the most online interest and sell fastest. Buyers and loan officers in these areas should expect quicker decisions and less room to wait.
Cover: a map of the Great Lakes and Northeast with pins near Lake Michigan. Illustration created for mortgage.news; it does not depict a real person, property or document.
What the ranking measures
Realtor.com scores metros on two things: unique views per property on its site, and how many days a listing stays active. The ranking measures demand and pace. It does not measure price gains or the number of sales, and a high rank does not guarantee appreciation.
The September picture
Every top-20 metro was in the Midwest or Northeast, split 10 and 10. Listings in those markets drew 2.6 times the national average views per property and had a median of 37 days on market, more than three weeks faster than the national norm, Realtor.com said.
| Rank | Metro | Views vs. U.S. | Median days on market | Median list price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenosha, Wis. | 3.0x | 32 | $390,000 |
| 2 | Hartford, Conn. | 4.2x | 35 | $450,000 |
| 3 | Rockford, Ill. | 2.8x | 35 | $269,000 |
| 4 | Lancaster, Pa. | 2.4x | 29 | $401,000 |
| 5 | Rochester, N.Y. | 2.5x | 34 | $298,000 |
Source: Realtor.com September 2026 Hottest Housing Markets.
Kenosha and Manchester
Kenosha sits between Chicago and Milwaukee. Its homes sold in 32 days, two days slower than a year earlier but about a month faster than the national norm, Realtor.com said.
Manchester-Nashua, N.H., long a fixture near the top, fell to 38th in September after ranking 8th in July. Realtor.com said it had been in the top 20 nearly every month from March 2020 through July 2026.
Practical takeaway
For buyers in these metros: get fully preapproved before touring, because listings move faster than the national pace. For agents and loan officers: a top ranking signals strong interest, not rising prices. Use local sales data when setting price expectations.