The Pandemic’s Effect on Home Prices in 20 Cities

Like most aspects of life, the pandemic had an impact.

By Jordan Rosenfeld Mar 11, 2021 Real Estate Investing 101

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The coronavirus pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives and had a significant impact on the economy and home values. Though home values have managed to increase somewhat during this time, the numbers are not huge.

Read: COVID's Financial Impact After 1 Year: See All Our Coverage

To determine the top 20 cities with the highest percent change in home value during COVID-19, GOBankingRates used Zillow’s Single Family Residence Home Value time series data for the largest 250 cities in the United States. We looked at the difference between the February 2020 home value and the January 2021 home value and assessed the gross change ($) over the course of COVID-19. Cities like Boise, Idaho, and Chula Vista, California, had significant positive changes in home value, while the home values in cities like San Francisco and Laredo, Texas, actually decreased. All data was collected on and up to date as of Feb. 23, 2021. Find out where the pandemic has impacted home values the most.

Last updated: March 11, 2021

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20. Chandler, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $344,064
Jan. 2021 Home value: $395,746
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $51,682
% change over course of COVID-19: 15.02%

See: Richest ZIP Codes in Every State

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19. Chula Vista, California

Feb. 2020 Home value: $571,088
Jan. 2021 Home value: $657,981
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $86,893
% change over course of COVID-19: 15.22%

Find Out: 50 Cities Where It’s Cheaper To Buy a Home Than Rent

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18. Gilbert, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $361,422
Jan. 2021 Home value: $416,641
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $55,219
% change over course of COVID-19: 15.28%

More: 28 House-Flipping Rules You Should Never Break

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17. Tucson, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $213,528
Jan. 2021 Home value: $246,607
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $33,079
% change over course of COVID-19: 15.49%

Read: The Most Expensive Suburbs in Every State

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16. Peoria, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $307,816
Jan. 2021 Home value: $356,107
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $48,291
% change over course of COVID-19: 15.69%

See: 17 Dumb Home-Buying Mistakes That Hurt Your Wallet

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15. Kansas City, Kansas

Feb. 2020 Home value: $118,071
Jan. 2021 Home value: $136,861
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $18,790
% change over course of COVID-19: 15.91%

Find Out: 8 Insider Tips to Get Rich in Real Estate

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14. Augusta, Georgia

Feb. 2020 Home value: $112,289
Jan. 2021 Home value: $130,279
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $17,990
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.02%

More: 40 Cities That Could Be Poised For a Housing Crisis

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13. Newark, New Jersey

Feb. 2020 Home value: $300,250
Jan. 2021 Home value: $348,611
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $48,361
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.11%

Read: 50 Housing Markets That Are Turning Ugly

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12. Tacoma, Washington

Feb. 2020 Home value: $347,323
Jan. 2021 Home value: $404,310
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $56,987
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.41%

See: 10 US Cities With Plenty of Jobs and Cheap Housing

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11. Tempe, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $320,024
Jan. 2021 Home value: $372,654
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $52,630
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.45%

Find Out: 50 Cities With the Most Overpriced Homes

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10. Dayton, Ohio

Feb. 2020 Home value: $66,256
Jan. 2021 Home value: $77,271
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $11,015
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.62%

More: What Realtors Say To Expect From the Housing Market for the Rest of 2021

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9. Spokane, Washington

Feb. 2020 Home value: $261,712
Jan. 2021 Home value: $305,380
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $43,668
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.69%

Read: The 50 Best Places To Buy a Home for Under $250,000

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8. Mesa, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $280,221
Jan. 2021 Home value: $327,525
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $47,304
% change over course of COVID-19: 16.88%

See: Great Places to Retire Where Rent Is Under $1,000 a Month

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7. Glendale, Arizona

Feb. 2020 Home value: $255,539
Jan. 2021 Home value: $299,663
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $44,124
% change over course of COVID-19: 17.27%

Find Out: This Is the Salary You Need To Afford the Average Home in Your State

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6. Bridgeport, Connecticut

Feb. 2020 Home value: $222,691
Jan. 2021 Home value: $261,611
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $38,920
% change over course of COVID-19: 17.48%

More: Cheapest Places To Buy a Home in Every State

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5. Birmingham, Alabama

Feb. 2020 Home value: $62,858
Jan. 2021 Home value: $74,088
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $11,230
% change over course of COVID-19: 17.87%

Read: What Homes Will Be Worth in Your State by the End of 2021

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4. Phoenix

Feb. 2020 Home value: $270,336
Jan. 2021 Home value: $318,799
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $48,463
% change over course of COVID-19: 17.93%

See: 50 Most Expensive Small Towns in America

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3. Detroit

Feb. 2020 Home value: $37,925
Jan. 2021 Home value: $45,222
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $7,297
% change over course of COVID-19: 19.24%

Find Out: Houses in These 29 Cities Are Suddenly Major Bargains

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2. Cleveland

Feb. 2020 Home value: $66,304
Jan. 2021 Home value: $79,194
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $12,890
% change over course of COVID-19: 19.44%

More: 50 Cities With the Most Homes Under $100K

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1. Boise, Idaho

Feb. 2020 Home value: $341,433
Jan. 2021 Home value: $422,683
Gross change ($) over course of COVID-19: $81,250
% change over course of COVID-19: 23.80%

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Methodology: For this piece GOBankingRates used Zillow’s Single Family Residence Home Value time series data for the largest 250 cities in the United States. For these 250 cities, GOBankingRates found (1) the February 2020 home value; (2) the January 2021 home value; (3) the gross change ($) over the course of COVID-19; and (4) the percent change to home value over the course of COVID-19. With these factors, GOBankingRates found the 20 cities with the highest percent change in home value during COVID-19, the 20 cities with the highest gross change ($) in home value during COVID-19 and the four cities with negative home value change during COVID-19. All data was collected on and up to date as of Feb. 23, 2021.

About the Author

Jordan Rosenfeld

Jordan Rosenfeld is a freelance writer and author of nine books. She holds a B.A. from Sonoma State University and an MFA from Bennington College. Her articles and essays about finances and other topics has appeared in a wide range of publications and clients, including The Atlantic, The Billfold, Good Magazine, GoBanking Rates, Daily Worth, Quartz, Medical Economics, The New York Times, Ozy, Paypal, The Washington Post and for numerous business clients. As someone who had to learn many of her lessons about money the hard way, she enjoys writing about personal finance to empower and educate people on how to make the most of what they have and live a better quality of life.