Rockford, Illinois lands top spot on Zillow’s "Most Popular US Housing Markets" list

In what has become a year-end tradition in recent times, real estate website Zillow released its annual Top 10 “Most Popular Markets” report for 2025, with the Prairie State’s very own Rockford, Illinois, claiming the top spot on its list.

The well-known online real estate aggregator analyzes markets across the US and uses a variety of metrics to compile its rankings, including consumer demand, home value growth, page views, and the time it takes to sell homes.

Located an hour and a half from Chicago, Rockford exhibited strong home pricing increases, along with an exceptionally quick average listing-to-contract turnaround time of just five days. Zillow also noted that three out of five Rockford page views came from outside the area, with the site noting the proximity to a major commercial hub, coupled with affordable housing as a key factor in the town's first place finish.

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It was a strong year for the Midwest overall, with six of the top ten markets coming from the region, along with one from the West Coast, one from Texas, and two from the Northeast. Zillow cited housing prices as the most significant driver this year, with a majority of the top ten markets offering options for $350K or less as shoppers prioritized Midwest affordability over costly coastal metro centers. 

Springfield, Illinois, was the only other entry from the state to make the top ten list, while Lake Forest and Normal, Illinois, were noted as the most popular small town and college town in the US, respectively. Toledo, Ohio, proved to be the most sought-after large market in 2025, coming in at #5 on the top ten list.