In-demand ZIP codes for real estate buyers in the U.S. - First Ohio Code

The most desirable zip code for homebuyers in the U.S. isn't in a big city on the coast - it's a cozy suburb in Ohio.

Gahanna, Ohio, is the most sought-after neighborhood in the country, according to an analysis of more than 29,000 zip codes conducted by Realtor.com.

The 2023 rankings for each zip code are based on two factors:

• how fast houses sold
• the median number of times listings were viewed on Realtor.com divided by the median number of times the property was viewed for the entire U.S. as a whole.

The top 15 places:

With plenty of parks and a short drive to downtown Columbus, Ohio, the Gahanna neighborhood offers spacious homes at an affordable price.

According to Realtor.com, the median home price is $389,000, which is below the U.S. median price of $445,000.

Gahanna residents are also relatively affluent. The median household income is $95,547, slightly above the U.S.

As for other leading zip codes, buyer demand is concentrated in affordable Midwest or Northeast neighborhoods close to big cities.

But "affordability" is a relative term, as homes in both Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Andover, Massachusetts, are selling for much more than the national median home price. Still, home listings in both neighborhoods offer more space than is typically found in larger cities, making them favorable for homebuyers.

Many potential buyers from the top 15 zip codes come from nearby large cities, indicating they are looking for more affordable housing in the area, the study said.

When it comes to demand, homes in the most sought-after zip codes are selling out quickly. In six locations, homes typically sold in less than 20 days, well below the national average of 44 days, according to a June real estate report from Realtor.com.

Not a single zip code in the Southwest made the top rankings, even though cities in those regions were migration sites during the Covid-19 pandemic. That's mostly due to "significant price increases" starting in 2020, making them less affordable, the study said.

The data for these rankings is based on Realtor.com listings from January 2023 through June 2023. The list of best zip codes is limited to one zip code per metropolitan area.