As 2025 drew to a close, Wisconsin’s affordable housing markets saw a surge in homebuyer demand, propelling a midsized metro in Milwaukee’s suburbs to the top of the hottest markets ranking.
Kenosha, WI, experienced a surge of interest by the end of the year, with for-sale homes flying off the market at a pace outstripping much of the U.S.
As a result, Kenosha claimed the No. 1 spot in December 2025’s Hottest Housing Markets list from Realtor.com®. It dethroned Springfield, MA, which came in second after reigning supreme for much of last year.
Realtor.com researchers measure market hotness based on the level of buyer demand, tracked through unique views per property on Realtor.com, and the pace of the market, measured by the number of days a listing remains active online.
In December, Kenosha attracted more than three times the national average number of online views per listing, and the typical for-sale property spent just 44 days on the market—roughly a month less than the national norm.
“With a median listing price of $384,000, the metro’s relative affordability has broadened its appeal, drawing interest from both local buyers and shoppers from nearby Chicago, where affordability pressures remain more pronounced,” says Realtor.com senior economist Jake Krimmel.
Kenosha’s surge in popularity should come as no surprise: The city of roughly 100,000 inhabitants situated on the shores of Lake Michigan has appeared on the Top 20 Hottest Housing Markets lists in 10 of the first 11 months of 2025.
Kenosha offers no shortage of advantages for residents, chief among them its convenient location, which is less than an hour away from two major job markets.
“We are sometimes referred to as ‘Chiwaukee,’ because we are kind of basically right in between two large cities, being Milwaukee, WI, and Chicago, IL,” says Wendy Gauss, real estate agent and president of the Southshore Realtors Association that governs the Kenosha/Racine region. “I think that that’s what’s drawing a lot of people into our areas.”
While significantly smaller than its sprawling urban neighbors, Kenosha and nearby Racine, WI, are home to several prosperous businesses, including the multibillion-dollar shipping and packing company Uline and the U.S. headquarters of the international electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn.
“We have a lot of really big corporations moving into the area, and that’s why we have so much growth going on,” Gauss tells Realtor.com. She notes that, however, Kenosha’s expansion has been “controlled,” with the city striving to maintain what she describes as its “small-city feel.”
Living in Kenosha, just 10 minutes from the Illinois border, has financial benefits in addition to its access to employers and well-paying jobs.
“We have a lot of people that commute, so they live in Wisconsin because Wisconsin’s taxes are cheaper or cost of living is cheaper, but they work in Illinois because the pay rate in Illinois is higher,” explains Gauss.
Kenosha also boasts a picturesque waterfront lined with beaches, parks, and trails, as well as a revitalized downtown filled with locally owned shops, restaurants, and breweries. Combined with its relaxed lifestyle, Kenosha is well-suited for families and retirees alike.
Read more at realtor.com.