Blog
Analysis and insights on housing markets and economic trends
What Makes a Boom Town? Only 23 U.S. Counties Qualify
We ran 1,001 U.S. counties through a three-engine test — jobs, wages, and people all rising fast. Just 23 pass. And 10 of them are middling home-price bets.
The Cheapest States to Buy a Home Just Got an Insurance Tax
The states topping every "cheapest place to buy" list are where home insurance is rising fastest. Fold it in and the affordability edge nearly vanishes.
Are Home Prices Going Down? Your Paycheck Is Finally Winning
Wages outran home prices in 70% of U.S. counties last year. The biggest relief hit the Sun Belt boom towns that priced people out — with one catch.
The Movers Are Outrunning the Jobs: 29 of America's 30 Fastest-Growing Counties
In 29 of America's 30 fastest-growing counties, people are arriving faster than jobs. We dug into the BLS and Census data to explain why — and what it means before you move.
America's Population Growth Just Halved — and the Places Absorbing the Movers Rank Worst for Home Prices
New Census data shows U.S. population growth cut in half — and the Southern counties absorbing the domestic exodus are the ones our model ranks worst for home-price growth.
Bidding Wars Don't Predict Home-Price Growth
America's fiercest bidding wars and the counties our model forecasts to appreciate most barely overlap. Market heat measures scarcity, not future growth.
The Data Center Boom Is Reshaping Which Towns Grow
A hyperscale data center can turn a farm county into a boomtown overnight — but for the people who already live there, the boom is complicated.
How to Read a Boom Town Score Before You Move
A high Boom Town Index score is a home-price forecast, not a verdict on quality of life. Here's how to separate momentum from level before you relocate.
Best Places to Retire Have the Weakest Home-Price Forecasts
America's favorite places to retire — Florida, Arizona, Nevada — are where our model forecasts the weakest home-price growth. The trade-off, by the data.
Crime Reports vs. Death Records: Why 'Safest' Lists Disagree
Most 'safest county' lists count police crime reports. We count death records. Here's why the two disagree — and what each number can and can't tell you.
The Migration Mirage: America's Top In-Migration Counties Are College Towns That Barely Grow
America's highest in-migration counties are mostly college towns where students churn in and out. Why raw 'newcomer' rankings mislead relocators — and what to read instead.
America's Best-Weather Counties Have the Weakest Home-Price Forecasts
America's best-weather counties post the lowest 5-year home-price growth forecasts. The climate-vs-appreciation trade-off — and the 11 places that beat it.