This SC housing market will be among 10 best in US for 2025 and it’s not Charleston, report says
An Upstate housing market is expected to be one of the 10 best in the U.S. for 2025, experts say.
The National Association of Realtors recently unveiled its 10 Top Housing Spots for 2025. The report is based on economic, demographic and housing factors predicted to significantly impact local markets.
The South region leads in the ranking, taking four of the 10 hot spots, followed by the Midwest with three.
“Important factors common among the top-performing markets in 2025 include available inventory at affordable price points, a better chance of unlocking low mortgage rates, higher income growth for young adults, and net migration into specific metro areas,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist and senior vice president of research for the NAR, said in a press release.
Top SC housing hot spot
So which housing market in South Carolina made the hot spot list this year? It was not the historic and popular city of Charleston or a beach market like Hilton Head.
The Greenville-Anderson metro area made the list as a top housing hot spot for 2025. According to the report, Greenville-Anderson stands out as the area that checks off the most criteria on the top 10 list.
“This area particularly benefits from a strong net migration rate and affordability,” the report states. “With 42% of homes categorized as starter homes and 43% of movers purchasing homes, Greenville offers accessibility and stability for families and young professionals alike.”
The report adds that the metro area also offers an average mortgage rate below the national average.
The Greenville area has been booming for years now and has routinely been featured on seemingly endless “best of” lists because of how much it has to offer.
“The city’s walkable downtown is anchored by Falls Park on the Reedy,” according to a Travel+Leisure article about Greenville. “This centerpiece park features a waterfall, gardens, public art, and Liberty Bridge, a pedestrian-friendly suspension bridge.”
There are 37 parks spread out around Greenville, offering residents walking and biking trails, disc golf, tennis and more. The city also has two major healthcare systems with multiple locations.
Greenville-Anderson statistics
These were among the factors that helped Greenville-Anderson earn its spot in the ranking. The average U.S. factors were added for comparison.
| Determining factors in hot housing spots report | Greenville-Anderson | United States |
| Average mortgage rate (2023) | 6.9% | 8.0% |
| Job growth (10/2019-10/2024) | 7.0% | 5.0% |
| Share of millennial renters who can afford to buy (2023) | 30% | 29.7% |
| Net migration to population ratio (2023) | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| Share of households reaching homebuying age in 5 years | 10.6% | 10% |
| Share of out-of-state movers buying home (2023) | 43% | 35.3% |
| Price growth (Q3 2019-Q3 2024) | 68.8% | 56.2% |
Top 10 housing spots for 2025
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina
- Grand Rapids-Kentwood, Michigan
- Greenville-Anderson, South Carolina
- Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, Connecticut
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Indiana
- Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
- San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas
