Business
Zillow names Jacksonville the best market for first-time buyers this spring
Improving affordability and rising inventory are easing the path to homeownership in markets across the Sun Belt and MidwestJacksonville ranks No. 1 among the
About this update from Zillow Group, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Improving affordability and rising inventory are easing the path to homeownership in markets across the Sun Belt and MidwestJacksonville ranks No. 1 among the 50 largest U.S. metros for first-time buyers, followed by Birmingham, San Antonio, Atlanta and Houston.Six of the top 10 markets are in the Sun Belt, where improving inventory and relative affordability make for better conditions for first-time buyers.Top-ranked markets combine lower rent burdens, more affordable listings and less competition, creating a clearer path to homeownership. In top-ranked markets, up to 68% of listings are affordable to a median-income household.SEATTLE, April 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- First-time home buyers are still navigating a challenging housing market, but in some parts of the country, homeownership is easier to achieve. A new Zillow® analysis identifies the markets where affordability, inventory and competition align to give first-time buyers their best opportunity in 2026.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nJacksonville ranks as the top market for first-time buyers this year, followed by Birmingham, San Antonio, Atlanta and Houston. These markets offer a more workable balance of lower rent burdens, more homes within budget and less anticipated competition from other first-time buyers.Zillow's best markets for first-time home buyers in 2026:JacksonvilleBirminghamSan AntonioAtlantaHoustonSt. LouisDetroitRaleighBaltimoreLouisville\"First-time buyers are finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel,\" said Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow. \"Affordability is still a challenge, but rising incomes, stabilizing prices and improving inventory are creating real opportunities in parts of the country. In the strongest markets for first-time buyers, they'll find more choices, less competition and a clearer path to homeownership than they've had in years.\"Even in the most favorable markets, challenges remain. Rising mortgage rates have eaten into affordability gains, and inventory remains 20% below pre-pandemic norms. However, broadly speaking, first-time buyers are in a better place than last year. Affordability has still improved from a year ago — just to a lesser degree — and that inventory deficit is much narrower than it was a few years ago.Conditions vary widely across the country. In many large coastal metros, high home prices and rents cont...