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Dallas-area ZIP code makes list of hottest U.S. housing markets in 2024

4210 Bullock Lane, Forney home for sale on Opendoor

This charming home in Forney's 75126 ZIP code is on the market for $321,000.

Photo courtesy of Opendoor

The Dallas metro's strong real estate market has shown it can persevere through another year of high mortgage rates, and one local ZIP code, in Forney, stands out: It was one of the top 10 hottest housing markets in the nation in 2024.

A just-released report by Opendoor has revealed Forney's 75126 ZIP code has remained the No. 6 hottest U.S. housing market for the second year in a row. It was the only North Texas ZIP code to make the top 10.

The study examined the U.S. ZIP codes where people bought homes the fastest in 2024, using local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) data in markets where Opendoor operates. The ZIP codes were ranked by the total number of homes that went into contract within 90 days of listing.

This North Texas suburb is situated 21 miles east of downtown Dallas, where homes have an average value of $325,842, according to Zillow's Homw Values Index.

Forney's home prices have fallen 4.3 percent over the last year, which matches Opendoor's prediction that homeowner interest in suburban living will continue to grow as prices steadily drop.

"Over the past three years, we’ve seen people choose to move away from city centers in favor of tighter-knit communities, but still live close enough to commute and be close to the action," the report says. "This year’s most popular areas are known for being fast-growing cities with plenty of new development, with healthy job growth in Florida and Texas in particular."

Aubrey, a suburb located 50 miles north of Dallas, did not appear in this year's report after previously ranking No. 7 in Opendoor's 2023 report.

Texas cities, however, dominated the top 10 for a second year in a row, with four additional ZIPs earning spots in the report: 77493 in Katy (No. 1); 77433 in Cypress (No. 2); 78253 in San Antonio (No. 3); 78130 in New Braunfels (No. 4); and 78640 in Kyle (No. 10).

Sitting just outside the top 10 hottest housing markets isMcKinney's 75071 ZIP code, which ranked 12th nationally.

Under-the-radar neighborhoods to watch in 2025
Opendoor also revealed its new list of "hidden gem" American neighborhoods where new listings grew from January to November 2024.

ZIP code 75074 in Plano was ranked the No. 4 best hidden gem neighborhood for homes between $400,000 and $600,000.

Tomball, a city 35 miles north of downtown Houston, was the only other Texas city to be included in the report's list of top under-the-radar neighborhoods. The Houston suburb's 77377 ZIP was ranked the No. 4 best hidden gem with homes under $300,000.

"These [hidden gem] lists offer neighborhoods across different price points with something for everyone," the report says. "Similar to the top 20 list, these are neighborhoods that are fast-developing, with something more turnkey, and in a smaller community."

Opendoor's top 10 hottest ZIP codes of 2024 are:

No. 1 – Katy, Texas (77493)
No. 2 – Cypress, Texas (77433)
No. 3 – San Antonio, Texas (78253)
No. 4 – New Braunfels, Texas (78130)
No. 5 – Summerville, South Carolina (29486)
No. 6 – Forney, Texas (75126)
No. 7 – Yukon, Oklahoma (73099)
No. 8 – Clarksville, Tennessee (37042)
No. 9 – Parrish, Florida (34219)
No. 10 – Kyle, Texas (78640)

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Suburbs news

North Dallas neighbor ranks as No. 1 most affordable city in U.S.

Photo courtesy of City of McKinney

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A Dallas suburb has landed on top of a new list of the most affordable places to live: McKinney ranked No. 1 based on its relative cost of living and high median household income.

The report by personal finance experts Motley Fool Money, "The 10 Most Affordable Cities With High Salaries and Low Costs of Living," compared hundreds of U.S. cities based on their income-to-expense ratio, where a higher ratio means better affordability. Median income was sourced from U.S. Census data, while cost of living was taken from a 2024 cost of living index from the Council for Community and Economic Research.

McKinney had the highest income-to-expense ratio (1.55) out of every U.S. city on the list to claim the No. 1 spot as the most affordable place to live. According to the report's analysts, McKinney's cost of living index is three points below the national average.

Residents in this Dallas suburb make a median income of $116,654, a staggering 43 percent higher than the national median. That's more than enough to cover the report's estimate of $75,348 for the city's cost of living.

Motley Fool Money says McKinney is alluring for "mid-career Americans."

"The average age [in McKinney] is 37 and the median property value is $440,000, which is about $20,000 higher than the national median home sales price," the report's author wrote. "The largest industries are professional, scientific and technical services, retail, and healthcare."

Plano also earned a spot in the top 10 most affordable places to live, coming in at No. 6 with an income-to-expense ratio of 1.28.

The findings show Plano households make about $108,594 in median annual income to offset an $84,931 cost of living estimate. No wonder residents are happier here than in any other city in Texas.

Plano Arts District Photo by David Downs/Visit Plano

Plano's economy is the strongest factor attracting people to this popular suburb, as well as greater Dallas-Fort Worth's entrepreneurial spirit.

"Toyota Motor North America has its headquarters in Plano, and other large companies have significant footprints there including JPMorgan, JCPenney, and Frito-Lay," the report said.

Plano also excels as one of the best places to raise a family, demonstrating the city's true versatility for both career-focused and family-focused Americans.

Though both McKinney and Plano ranked on the list of the most affordable cities to live, neither appeared in Motley Fool Money's separate ranking of the cheapest places to live. Earning the No. 1 spot in that category was Decatur, Illinois.

The only Texas cities to rank on the list of the cheapest places to live were the Rio Grande Valley cities of Edinburg (No. 3) and Harlingen (No. 6), as well as Amarillo (No. 10) in West Texas.

The top 10 most affordable places to live in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – McKinney, Texas
No. 2 – Morristown, New Jersey
No. 3 – Edmond, Oklahoma
No. 4 – Midland, Texas
No. 5 – Austin, Texas
No. 6 – Plano, Texas
No. 7 – Joliet, Illinois
No. 8 – Kansas City metropolitan area
No. 9 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 10 – Charleston, South Carolina

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