A small town east of Dallas is a big magnet for homebuyers. Forney, in fact, boasts one of the hottest ZIP codes in the country.

According to OpenDoor’s 2022 Hottest ZIP Codes in America report, Forney's 75126 was the fifth most popular ZIP code for buyers around the U.S. last year. It moved up from No. 8 in the 2021 report.

OpenDoor analyzed data from the local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) where Opendoor Brokerage operates, they say. The neighborhoods were ranked by total homes that went into contract within 90 days of listing in 2022.

Forney - a town of 27,000 about a half-hour east of Dallas - tracks with a post-pandemic trend that OpenDoor identified when compiling its 2022 list: that buyers were gravitating toward “a small-town feel while close to a bustling downtown for entertainment, dining, and shopping,” they say.

“Whether to be closer to outdoor and recreational activities or to join a close-knit community, the desire to belong remained strong in 2022 as the recalibration of work and personal priorities encouraged people to move away from city centers,” the report’s author says.

For the same reasons, another North Texas town - Aubrey - was deemed a top “emerging” ZIP for 2022. Its 76227 lands at No. 13 on the list. It had been No. 15 in the 2021 report.

Aubrey, population 6,500, is about an hour north of Dallas, in northeast Denton County. It is home to sprawling ranches and considered the “horse capital of Texas.”

“We are seeing homeowners vie for that sense of belonging in cities and towns accessible to major metros via short commutes – like Aubrey,” OpenDoor says.

Elsewhere in Texas
Aubrey and Forney are the only Dallas-area ZIPs to make it into the top 20, but they are in good company with several others around Texas.

Katy’s 77494, in the Houston area, is the highest-scoring ZIP in the state, landing at No. 3.

“Half of first-time home buyers say ‘family’ is the top reason they decided to purchase a home in 2022. Katy, TX and Yukon, OK continued their reign on our hottest ZIPs list,” OpenDoor says. “They draw homeowners for their proximity to major employers while still being a good fit for families.”

Another Houston suburb, Cypress’ 77433, comes in at No. 7.

Also in the mix are a few ZIPs in the Austin-San Antonio area: No. 4 is 78130 in New Braunfels, and No. 9 is 78641 in Leander. The San Antonio ZIP of 78253 is No. 11.

The hottest ZIP code in the country is 37042 in Clarksville, Tennessee, which has “a thriving, close-knit local community while still being close to the action in Nashville,” OpenDoor says.

The top 20 ZIP codes in the U.S. for 2022 are:

1. Clarksville, Tennessee (37042)
2. Yukon, Oklahoma (73099)
3. Katy, Texas (77494)
4. New Braunfels, Texas (78130)
5. Forney, Texas (75126)
6. Summerville, South Carolina (29486)
7. Cypress, Texas (77433)
8. Kissimmee, Florida (34747)
9. Leander, Texas (78641)
10. Murfreesboro, Tennessee (37128)
11. San Antonio, Texas (78253)
12. Loganville, Georgia (30052)
13. Aubrey, Texas (76227)
14. Winter Garden, Florida (34787)
15. Cumming, Georgia (30040)
16. Suwanee, Georgia (30024)
17. Gallatin, Tennessee (37066)
18. San Diego, California (92101)
19. Port Saint Lucie, Florida (34953)
20. Parker, Colorado (80134)