St. Louis, MO (August 5, 2025) – 63021/Ballwin, Missouri, one of the communities served by members of St. Louis REALTORS®, has been ranked No. 4 in Realtor.com®’s annual Hottest ZIP Codes Report, released today. These top-performing markets are attracting attention with a compelling mix of lifestyle appeal, relative affordability, and strong ties to nearby economic hubs.
“Ballwin truly deserves the recognition,” said Stacey Sanders, 2025 President of St. Louis REALTORS®. “It’s a vibrant, welcoming community with a wide range of housing options, from townhomes and condos to single-family homes in both new and established neighborhoods. The variety in housing and price points makes it super accessible, and the mix of people there gives it a welcoming, well-rounded vibe. They also have great parks, shopping, and easy access to the rest of the region. It’s truly a place where people can put down roots.”
In today’s high-rate housing environment, buyers are showing growing interest in ZIP codes offering more space, access to jobs, and better value—especially in suburbs where homes are listed below their surrounding metro median prices, even above the national average.
Joining Ballwin, Missouri, on the top 10 2025 Hottest ZIP Codes in America, in rank order, are:
- 01915 Beverly, Mass.
- 08053 Marlton, N.J.
- 01453 Leominster, Mass.
- 63021 Ballwin, Mo.
- 07470 Wayne, N.J.
- 44149 Strongsville, Ohio
- 06611 Trumbull, Conn.
- 02864 Cumberland, R.I.
- 06074 South Windsor, Conn.
- 43209 Bexley, Ohio
“In a year when affordability challenges and limited inventory continue to weigh on buyers, the ZIP Codes rising to the top of our list stand out for offering both strong value and livability,” said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com®. “Once again, the Northeast and Midwest dominate, driven by buyers from high-cost metros looking for relief without sacrificing access to jobs and amenities. Many of these neighborhoods also offer newer homes than the surrounding areas, highlighting the critical role of new and infill construction in meeting today’s buyer demand—even in a tough market.”
Buyer Demand is Driving Quick Sales
Homes in this year’s top 10 ZIP codes spend considerably less time on market and demand higher views per listing than the national averages, selling between 30 and 42 days faster than the U.S. average and generating 3.3 to 5.2 times more views per listing, on average. This fast-paced activity underscores intense competition in these markets, even as many parts of the country, like the South and West, are seeing more measured housing activity.
Affordability Meets Value
While seven of the top 10 ZIPs had median listing prices above the national average of $441,000 (as of June 2025), six of the ten were more affordable than their surrounding metro areas. This shows buyers are seeking relative value and prioritizing savings over the metro median rather than chasing the lowest possible price point. In expensive metros like Boston and New York, ZIPs such as Beverly, Mass. (01915) and Wayne, N.J. (07470) offer more attainable prices for suburban living with continued access to jobs, transit, and amenities.
Meanwhile, Midwest standouts like Ballwin, Mo. and Strongsville, Ohio, and Bexley, Ohio had prices higher than their metros, signaling robust local demand and possibly more move-up buyers or equity-rich shoppers. Yet, their price points remain moderate on a national scale—demonstrating that affordability and desirability can go hand-in-hand.
Financially Ready Buyers Lead the Charge
The typical buyer in these ZIPs is more financially prepared than the average U.S. shopper. Across the top 10 ZIPs:
- Median household income: $114,000 (vs. national $79,000)
- Average credit score: 759 (vs. 748)
- Typical down payments: $42,000 to $143,000 (vs. national $30,000)
- Median age of household head: 56 (vs. national 54)
This profile points to a more established buyer pool—often with built-up home equity—who are equipped to act quickly and put down larger down payments in response to elevated mortgage rates.
High Homeownership and Tight Inventory
Homeownership rates in the hottest ZIPs average 75.2%, nearly 10 percentage points above the national rate of 65.1%. Seven of the 10 ZIPs had homeownership rates well above the national norm, including: South Windsor, Conn. (06074), Trumbull, Conn. (06611) and Strongsville, Ohio (44149). Only three ZIPs—Beverly, Mass., Leominster, Mass., and Bexley, Ohio—fell below the national average, partly due to higher renter populations and investor activity in their metros. Columbus, for example, saw elevated investor buying in 2024, reflecting strong rental demand.
Methodology:
Realtor.com®’s Hottest Zip Code rankings are based on an algorithm that takes into account two aspects of the housing market: 1) market demand, as measured by unique viewers per property on Realtor.com®, and 2) the pace of the market as measured by the number of days a listing remains active on Realtor.com®. The hottest areas are those that have high demand from buyers, in other words, lots of unique viewers per each property, and fast-selling homes, an indicator of limited supply. Market Hotness rankings based on Realtor.com® listing data from January to June 2025. The list of top zip codes is limited to one zip code per metropolitan area. Descriptive statistics in this write-up refer to June 2025 data unless otherwise noted.