A new study from online real estate company Zillow lists Jacksonville as one of the most favorable markets for homebuyers in the U.S.
Zillow ranks Jacksonville No. 4 on its list of buyer-friendly cities in 2026. The study, released Jan. 26, examined the 49 largest U.S. metros based on growth of home values, the amount a mortgage would demand from a family budget and buyer competition. According to the study, the cities listed high in the rankings offer a “relatively budget-friendly homes that have a combination of cooling prices now with expected appreciation ahead.”
Indianapolis ranked No. 1, followed by Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina. After Jacksonville, the remainder of the Top 10 in order were Oklahoma City; Memphis, Tennessee; Detroit; Miami; Tampa and Pittsburgh.
Zillow, which performs market studies in addition to operating its real estate website, listed one other Florida city, Orlando, which it ranked No. 13.
The release stated that as of December 2025, the average home in Jacksonville was priced at $342,853. That value was expected to rise 1.5% annually with a typical mortgage accounting for 32.2% of the buyer’s annual household income. The mortgage figure assumed a 20% down payment.
By comparison, the average home price was listed at $1.54 million in the No. 49-ranked city, San Jose, California. The annual value change for that city was listed at minus-0.2%, and the typical mortgage consumed 62.6% of annual household income.
“Home shoppers have room to breathe in these buyer-friendly markets. Lower competition gives buyers more time to decide and wiggle room to negotiate, adding up to a less stressful shopping experience,” said Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow, in the study.
“Cooling prices today, paired with expected growth ahead, make for a good entry point for those who have been waiting for the right moment. For sellers, pricing strategically from the start becomes that much more important when buyers hold the power.”
The best areas for buyers were concentrated in the Midwest and the Sunbelt. In the South, an influx of new construction has helped expand the available home supply, according to the research.