Zillow Group Inc. forecasts that housing affordability will improve in 2026, with mortgage payments on typical homes expected to become affordable in 20 of the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas by the end of the year— the highest number since 2022. The company projects that home values will grow by 1.9%, bringing the typical U.S. home value to $365,795 by year-end. Meanwhile, monthly mortgage costs have dropped $92 nationwide from last year and $177 from their peak in October 2023. Zillow expects mortgage rates to fall to near 6% and incomes to rise by 3.3% this year, further supporting affordability. Most major markets are predicted to see improvements in affordability, with notable cities such as Chicago, Atlanta, and Raleigh joining the list of affordable metros.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Zillow Group Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief via PR Newswire (Ref. ID: SF64036) on January 15, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.