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5 Cities in Every Western State Where Home Values Are Blowing Up
Written by
J. David Herman
Edited by
Levi Leidy

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Despite a sluggish year for home values nationwide, there are still some spots out West that are showing a strong return on investment.
Based on Zillow’s data for last October, national averages show home values increasing just 0.23% year-over-year, and about 38.5% over the past five years. GOBankingRates has blended Zillow’s data into a top-five list for each state, filled with cities where growth has been much more robust.
Take Paradise Valley, Arizona, for example. This town of about 13,000 residents has seen home values increase by nearly 100% over the past five years, including 10% just in the past year.
To compile its top-five lists, GBR weighted both year-over-year and five-year growth numbers. To qualify, cities and towns had to have average home values of at least $100,000 as of October 2020. Two western states — Alaska and Hawaii — only had a single city hit all thresholds.
Here’s a state-by-state look at Western U.S. cities where homeowners have seen the biggest returns.
Alaska
The Kenai Peninsula city of Seward was the only Alaska locale to qualify for GBR’s analysis. Seward saw year-over-year home value growth of 9.2% and a boost of 39.2% over the past five years.
1. Seward
- October 2025 home value:Â $378,133
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 9.2%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 39.2%
Arizona
Paradise Valley far outpaced other Arizona cities as well as national averages. Home values in the Phoenix suburb soared 10% year-over-year and are up nearly 100% since 2020.
1. Paradise Valley
- October 2025 home value:Â $3,389,435
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 10%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 95.7%
2. Somerton
- October 2025 home value:Â $263,151
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.6%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 55.6%
3. Flagstaff
- October 2025 home value:Â $680,231
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 56%
4. Tonopah
- October 2025 home value:Â $400,733
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.8%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 53.4%
5. Williams
- October 2025 home value:Â $440,246
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 52.2%
California
Six California cities saw home value growth of 70%-plus over the past five years. Among cities that made GBR’s top five, Montecito led the way with a 77.5% climb. The highest year-over-year increase was posted in El Centro (7.5%), which failed to crack the top five.
1. Imperial
- October 2025 home value:Â $426,022
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 7.2%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 53.8%
2. Thermal
- October 2025 home value:Â $293,359
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 59.8%
3. Montecito
- October 2025 home value:Â $5,622,952
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 2%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 77.5%
4. Carpinteria
- October 2025 home value:Â $1,760,978
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 4.9%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 61.1%
5. Newport Beach
- October 2025 home value:Â $4,030,090
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 69.1%
Colorado
Home values in Edwards exploded by 123% over the past five years. Aspen posted a state-best 5.4% year-over-year increase, with home values topping $10 million as of this past October.
1. Aspen
- October 2025 home value:Â $10,059,501
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 83.6%
2. Carbondale
- October 2025 home value:Â $1,500,601
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 4.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 89.4%
3. Edwards
- October 2025 home value:Â $2,104,579
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.9%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 123.1%
4. Monte Vista
- October 2025 home value:Â $264,876
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 56.4%
5. Rifle
- October 2025 home value:Â $498,951
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 54.7%
Hawaii
The Aloha State’s lone entry — a census-designated place on the Big Island called Puako — saw a robust 75% increase in home values over the past five years.
1. Puako
- October 2025 home value:Â $2,536,516
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.6%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 75.4%
Idaho
Home values in the central Idaho town of Hailey have exploded of late, showing year-over-year gains of 11.3% and five-year gains of 80%. Both are by far the highest in the state and far outpace national averages.
1. Hailey
- October 2025 home value:Â $930,080
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 11.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 80.1%
2. Rupert
- October 2025 home value:Â $317,693
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.1%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 62.5%
3. Burley
- October 2025 home value:Â $321,731
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 59%
4. Athol
- October 2025 home value:Â $765,541
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.9%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 64.5%
5. McCall
- October 2025 home value:Â $796,169
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 63.8%
Montana
Of the 11 Montana locales that qualified for GBR’s analysis, seven saw five-year increases in home values of greater than 50%. Libby led the way with a jump of nearly 86%.
1. Lewistown
- October 2025 home value:Â $275,666
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 72.3%
2. Great Falls
- October 2025 home value:Â $328,373
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 6.2%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 60.6%
3. Libby
- October 2025 home value:Â $343,303
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.6%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 85.7%
4. Havre
- October 2025 home value:Â $225,132
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 7.5%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 40.6%
5. Butte
- October 2025 home value:Â $276,169
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 2.2%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 68.9%
Nevada
Six Nevada cities qualified for GBR’s breakdown, with only Logandale not making the top five. Winnemucca’s 5% growth year-over-year was the state’s highest. Lovelock was the only Nevada locale to top 60% home value growth since 2020.
1. Lovelock
- October 2025 home value:Â $237,377
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 60.5%
2. Winnemucca
- October 2025 home value:Â $339,264
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 43.2%
3. Zephyr Cove
- October 2025 home value:Â $1,394,10
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 46.6%
4. Fallon
- October 2025 home value:Â $380,737
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 2.5%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 40.8%
5. Pahrump
- October 2025 home value:Â $364,281
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 2.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 40.8%
Oregon
La Grande placed first among Oregon locales for year-over-year home value growth (5.4%). La Grande also posted the second-highest five-year growth, trailing only Ontario (52.1%).
1. La Grande
- October 2025 home value:Â $292,570
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 50.7%
2. Klamath Falls
- October 2025 home value:Â $306,827
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 48.7%
3. Ontario
- October 2025 home value:Â $298,858
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 0.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 52.1%
4. Milton Freewater
- October 2025 home value:Â $303,630
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 2.5%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 43.3%
5. Terrebonne
- October 2025 home value:Â $564,512
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.6%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 43.1%
Utah
Highland was one of three Utah cities to see home values rise by 5%-plus since last October. Price showed the biggest five-year jump, with home values increasing by 62.8%.
1. Price
- October 2025 home value:Â $302,220
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 4.8%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 62.8%
2. Highland
- October 2025 home value:Â $955,434
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 6.8%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 53.9%
3. Alpine
- October 2025 home value:Â $1,147,990
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 6.3%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 50.4%
4. Vernal
- October 2025 home value:Â $306,265
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.8%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 59.5%
5. Wellsville
- October 2025 home value:Â $564,572
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 4.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 52.3%
Washington
Colville, a town of about 5,000 residents located 75 miles north of Spokane, had the state’s highest jump in home values year-over-year (5.6%). Redmond, located east of Seattle and headquarters of Microsoft, had the highest five-year boost (56.8%).
1. Colville
- October 2025 home value:Â $336,800
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.6%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 45.4%
2. Winlock
- October 2025 home value:Â $452,142
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 1.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 55%
3. Redmond
- October 2025 home value:Â $1,494,478
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 0.4%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 56.8%
4. Mattawa
- October 2025 home value:Â $438,891
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 0.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 54.9%
5. Newcastle
- October 2025 home value:Â $1,446,347
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 0.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 54.2%
Wyoming
Worland posted by far the highest year-over-year home value bump in Wyoming (8.8%). Over the past five years, Evanston saw a state-best 62.5% increase.
1. Worland
- October 2025 home value:Â $247,453
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 8.8%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 51.8%
2. Evanston
- October 2025 home value:Â $301,784
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.1%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 62.5%
3. Cody
- October 2025 home value:Â $478,281
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 2.6%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 54.6%
4. Buffalo
- October 2025 home value:Â $401,143
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 3.7%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 46%
5. Laramie
- October 2025 home value:Â $374,074
- 1-year % change in home value:Â 5.5%
- 5-year % change in home value:Â 40.3%
Methodology: GOBankingRates looked at the 7,500 largest housing markets in America, according to Zillow, that also had a one-year and five-year percent change in home value above the national average. GOBankingRates then looked at these factors across every state. The one-year and five-year percent changes in home values were scored. The places had to have an October 2020 home value above $100,000. Zillow’s October 2025 data was collected Nov. 17, 2025.
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