FORT WAYNE, Ind. (October 29, 2026)—Fort Wayne, Ind., one of the real estate market areas served by members of the Upstate Alliance of REALTORS®, ranked No. 8 on the Fall 2026 Housing Market Ranking issued jointly by The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com®. Click here for the joint release.
According to information from The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com®, “The Fall 2026 ranking evaluates the 200 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas using a combination of housing market conditions and broader measures of economic health and livability. Together, these factors highlight markets where buyers are more likely to find balance in an otherwise challenging housing environment.”
“Fort Wayne continues to earn national recognition as a great place to live, work and own a home, and buyers have more choices than they might expect right now”, said Jackie McBride, 2026 UPSTAR President. “With 1,052 homes on the market in Allen County, including 870 in Fort Wayne, and 460 of them priced under $300,000, there’s something for nearly every budget.”
Joining Fort Wayne, IN on The Top 10 Fall 2026 Housing Market Ranking are:
- Appleton, WI
- South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
- Canton-Massilon, OH
- Manchester-Nashua, NH
- Lancaster, PA
- Waterbury-Shelton, CT
- Reading, PA
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Rockford, IL
- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
“Interest rates are close to their historical average, and with smart planning and the right lender, buyers can make today’s prices work for them,” McBride added. “For anyone ready to make a move, this is an exciting time to find the right home.”
According to the jointly issued report, the index methodology looks at:
The ranking evaluates the 200 most populous core-based statistical areas, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau, and defined by July 2023 OMB delineation standards for twelve indicators across two broad categories: real estate market (60%) and economic health and quality of life (40%). Each market is ranked on a scale of 0 to 100 according to the category indicators, and the overall result is based on the weighted sum of these rankings. The real estate market category indicators are: real estate demand (15%), based on average pageviews per property; real estate supply (15%), based on median days on market for real estate listings; median listing price trend (10%), based on annual price growth over the quarter; property taxes (10%); and climate risk to properties (10%). The economic and quality of life category indicators are: unemployment (5%); wages (5%); regional price parities (5%); the share of foreign born (5%); small businesses (5%); amenities (10%), measured as the average number of stores per specific “everyday splurge” category (coffee, upscale/specialty grocery, home improvement, fitness) per capita in an area; and commute time (5%).
ABOUT THE UPSTATE ALLIANCE OF REALTORS®
UPSTAR, established in 1913, is the oldest trade association in Allen County. The association is dedicated to serving the professional needs of nearly 1,900 REALTORS® and to promote and protect homeownership and private property rights. For more information about UPSTAR, visit www.UpstarIndiana.com, or call 260.426.4700.
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