These 4 Massachusetts cities made the "Hottest ZIP Codes" list for 2024
SALEM - Massachusetts is home to four of the hottest real estate markets in the country this year, a new ranking says.
In fact, three cities in the state make the Top 10 in Realtor.com's list of the "Hottest ZIP Codes of 2024."
Salem is third on the heat map, behind only top-ranked Gahanna, Ohio and Ballwin, Missouri. Leominster is seventh, Westfield is eighth and Attleboro is 13th.
What makes a "hot ZIP"?
Realtor.com says it determines its Hottest ZIP Code rankings by looking at how many views a property gets on its website, and how long that listing remains active. The highest-ranked markets have listings with lots of views that sell fast.
"Zip codes in Boston, as well as in the nearby Worcester and Springfield metros highlight the popularity of commuter markets near the northeast hub," Realtor.com said.
Hottest ZIP Codes in Massachusetts
Salem, known around the world for its famous Halloween celebrations, had a median listing price of $596,000. Homes there typically stay on the market for only 16 days, Realtor.com said.
The price drops in the hot ZIP codes further to the west. The median listing price in Leominster is $462,000, and in Westfield it's $347,000. In Attleboro, the median value is $516,000.
Median home sale prices across all of Massachusetts reached a new high for the month of July at $650,000, according to a recent report by The Warren Group. And a survey of Massachusetts residents this summer found that about one in five say they are thinking about leaving the state in the next five years because of rising housing costs.