For the second year in a row, Buffalo, New York, has secured the top spot on Zillow's list of the hottest housing markets, earning the distinction of being the first market to secure the No. 1 ranking in back-to-back years.

With a strong job market and home prices 37% below the national average, Buffalo continues to lead as the hottest market in the U.S.

Columbus fell nine spots to No. 12 on Zillow's prediction for the hottest housing markets of 2025. Two other Ohio cities tumbled out of the top 10 as well. From its No. 2 ranking in 2024, Cincinnati also was down nine spots to No. 11 and Cleveland fell six spots to No. 14 from No. 8.

Zillow has forecasted the hottest housing markets for 2025, highlighting Connecticut's Hartford area as seeing significant growth and popularity.

In a Zillow ranking released on Tuesday, Providence and its metro area ranked as the third hottest market in the country, rising two places from where Zillow put it last year. Zillow ranked the 50 largest metro areas in the country. The only hotter markets, where it's even harder to buy a house, are Buffalo, New York and Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Buffalo is home to the hottest major housing market in 2025, according to a newly released report by Zillow, and it's the first time a market has held the title in back-to-back years.

Zillow currently reports that the strongest housing markets for sellers are in the Northeast. That includes multiple New York cities — Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and New York City — as well as metros in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The only non-Northeastern city considered a “strong seller’s market” is San Jose, California.