30 Smaller Cities Where Your Home Will Gain Value
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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The reason that most (but not all) financial experts consider a mortgage loan “good” debt is because a home can and should appreciate in value over time. Let’s look at a real example. In North Hollywood, a city in Los Angeles, a home sold in April 2025 for $1,788,000. When it sold just a little over one year prior, in January 2024, it went for $1.2 million. Probably the home had some work done to make it sell for more, but $588,000 worth of work? Probably not. The property appreciated all on its own.
We’ve all heard stories like these, and often they’re set in major metros, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City or Boston. But smaller cities — including those you may have never heard of — have mighty tales of home appreciation, too. In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed small cities (populations of 7,500 people or less) to find the cities where homes are gaining the most value in 2025.
30. Canastota, New York
- 2020 average home value: $119,735
- 2024 average home value: $173,142
- 2025 average home value: $193,864
29. Royston, Georgia
- 2020 average home value: $132,228
- 2024 average home value: $238,754
- 2025 average home value: $252,952
28. Flemingsburg, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $98,070
- 2024 average home value: $154,043
- 2025 average home value: $169,270
27. Jefferson, Ohio
- 2020 average home value: $130,579
- 2024 average home value: $188,919
- 2025 average home value: $211,920
26. Monticello, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $86,819
- 2024 average home value: $139,662
- 2025 average home value: $152,828
25. Salem, Massachusetts
- 2020 average home value: $115,118
- 2024 average home value: $202,685
- 2025 average home value: $216,635
24. Aspen, Colorado
- 2020 average home value: $5,536,765
- 2024 average home value: $9,296,151
- 2025 average home value: $10,093,376
23. Russell Springs, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $86,991
- 2024 average home value: $137,726
- 2025 average home value: $151,921
22. East Syracuse, New York
- 2020 average home value: $128,248
- 2024 average home value: $200,340
- 2025 average home value: $222,000
21. Carbondale, Colorado
- 2020 average home value: $751,567
- 2024 average home value: $1,344,968
- 2025 average home value: $1,439,015
20. Jamestown, Tennessee
- 2020 average home value: $119,124
- 2024 average home value: $197,596
- 2025 average home value: $215,924
19. Dobson, North Carolina
- 2020 average home value: $124,608
- 2024 average home value: $201,883
- 2025 average home value: $222,094
18. Atoka, Oklahoma
- 2020 average home value: $99,213
- 2024 average home value: $160,737
- 2025 average home value: $176,880
17. Owingsville, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $94,407
- 2024 average home value: $147,178
- 2025 average home value: $163,573
16. Olyphant, Pennsylvania
- 2020 average home value: $134,737
- 2024 average home value: $190,261
- 2025 average home value: $216,601
15. Winslow, Maine
- 2020 average home value: $149,273
- 2024 average home value: $264,453
- 2025 average home value: $284,896
14. Skowhegan, Maine
- 2020 average home value: $113,741
- 2024 average home value: $204,865
- 2025 average home value: $219,796
13. Carlisle, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $96,560
- 2024 average home value: $146,393
- 2025 average home value: $164,353
12. Lyons, New York
- 2020 average home value: $89,185
- 2024 average home value: $131,897
- 2025 average home value: $149,031
11. Grayson, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $92,424
- 2024 average home value: $136,325
- 2025 average home value: $154,251
10. Greensburg, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $92,090
- 2024 average home value: $139,493
- 2025 average home value: $156,925
9. Lewistown, Montana
- 2020 average home value: $152,155
- 2024 average home value: $243,275
- 2025 average home value: $270,355
8. Libby, Montana
- 2020 average home value: $168,737
- 2024 average home value: $329,092
- 2025 average home value: $347,929
7. Whitesburg, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $52,117
- 2024 average home value: $66,327
- 2025 average home value: $78,249
6. Stanton, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $92,480
- 2024 average home value: $150,522
- 2025 average home value: $168,140
5. Pembroke, Georgia
- 2020 average home value: $133,782
- 2024 average home value: $235,868
- 2025 average home value: $259,071
4. Tompkinsville, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $66,190
- 2024 average home value: $112,995
- 2025 average home value: $127,071
3. Beattyville, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $78,370
- 2024 average home value: $123,222
- 2025 average home value: $141,848
2. Olive Hill, Kentucky
- 2020 average home value: $67,385
- 2024 average home value: $109,772
- 2025 average home value: $125,579
1. Monticello, New York
- 2020 average home value: $118,636
- 2024 average home value: $235,103
- 2025 average home value: $259,598
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed smaller towns to find the cities where your home will gain value. Using the Zillow Home Value Index from February of 2020, 2024 and 2025, the percentage change in home values were calculated. The cities with a larger increase than the national average were kept for this study. Using the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the total population can be sourced and cities with no more than 7,500 people were kept for this study. The one-year and five-year percent change in home values were calculated and were each scored with the highest score being the best. The cities were sorted to show the smaller cities where your home value will gain value. All data was collected on and is up to date as of March 28, 2025.
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