As 2025 winds down with sluggish national home values, recent data has shown several Midwest cities defying the trend.
A GOBankingRates analysis of Zillow’s October figures spotlighted the top five housing markets in each Midwestern state, identifying cities that stand out as strong investment opportunities. Some posted year-over-year gains as high as 11% — far above the national average of just 0.23%. While home values nationwide have climbed 38% since 2020, many of the cities on GBR’s lists have surged more than 60%.
To compile its top-five lists, GBR blended and waited Zillow’s data for both year-over-year and five-year growth. October 2025 home values for locales in the lists ranged from $156,000 to $1.5M, demonstrating the wide range of options available across the Midwest.
GBR’s definition of the Midwest aligns with the U.S. Census Bureau. It includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Read on for a state-by-state breakdown, including October 2025 home values, year-over-year growth, and growth since 2020 for each locale:
Illinois
Six cities in Illinois posted 60%+ gains since 2020, including Galena with a robust 68.5%. For year-over-year growth, three locales topped 10% but didn’t make GBR’s top five due to more modest growth since 2020. They include East Peoria (12.2%), Chillicothe (10.9%) and Ottawa (10.8%).
1. Machesney Park
- October 2025 home value: $196,208
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 60.9%
2. Zion
- October 2025 home value: $235,904
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 62.9%
3. Glencoe
- October 2025 home value: $1,516,469
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.8%
- 5-year % change in home value: 60.7%
4. Galena
- October 2025 home value: $313,869
- 1-year % change in home value: 3.6%
- 5-year % change in home value: 68.5%
5. North Chicago
- October 2025 home value: $204,921
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 62.4%
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Indiana
Sullivan’s year-over-year home value growth of 11.4% topped all Indiana cities that qualified for GBR’s analysis. Knox showed the highest 5-year boost (64.2%). Tipton topped the overall list with a year-over-year boost of 8.5% and five-year growth of 59.5%.
1. Tipton
- October 2025 home value: $234,722
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.5%
- 5-year % change in home value: 59.5%
2. Rushville
- October 2025 home value: $196,894
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 57.5%
3. Knox
- October 2025 home value: $217,494
- 1-year % change in home value: 4.5%
- 5-year % change in home value: 64.2%
4. Sullivan
- October 2025 home value: $168,728
- 1-year % change in home value: 11.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 46.8%
5. Bloomfield
- October 2025 home value: $209,592
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 53.5%
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Iowa
Decorah is one of three Iowa cities that posted 7%+ home value growth between October 2024 and October 2025. Bloomfield, a small city in southeast Iowa, showed the highest growth since 2020 (about 48%).
1. Decorah
- October 2025 home value: $304,453
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.3%
- 5-year % change in home value: 44.1%
2. Harlan
- October 2025 home value: $197,061
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 44.8%
3. Independence
- October 2025 home value: $212,534
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 42.6%
4. Bloomfield
- October 2025 home value: $232,921
- 1-year % change in home value: 3.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 47.7%
5. Madrid
- October 2025 home value: $274,232
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.3%
- 5-year % change in home value: 39.0%
Kansas
Dodge City’s 65.8% jump in home values since 2020 topped all Kansas cities included in GBR’s analysis. No other Kansas locales beat the 60% threshold. Ottawa’s 7% growth year-over-year was the top figure by far.
1. Dodge City
- October 2025 home value: $209,337
- 1-year % change in home value: 3.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 65.8%
2. Ottawa
- October 2025 home value: $224,594
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 53.8%
3. Atchison
- October 2025 home value: $162,566
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.7%
- 5-year % change in home value: 57.2%
4. Paola
- October 2025 home value: $360,260
- 1-year % change in home value: 4.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 50.0%
5. Leavenworth
- October 2025 home value: $252,492
- 1-year % change in home value: 3.7%
- 5-year % change in home value: 50.1%
Michigan
Escanaba, an Upper Peninsula city of about 12,500 residents, has shown robust home value growth both year-over-year (12.1%) and since 2020 (65.3%). Twenty-three Michigan locales have shown 50%+ growth since 2020, according to GBR’s breakdown of Zillow’s data.
1. Escanaba
- October 2025 home value: $170,013
- 1-year % change in home value: 12.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 65.3%
2. Ishpeming
- October 2025 home value: $179,557
- 1-year % change in home value: 9.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 59.9%
3. Marquette
- October 2025 home value: $310,827
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 58.6%
4. Chesaning
- October 2025 home value: $202,323
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 52.0%
5. Gwinn
- October 2025 home value: $193,335
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.5%
- 5-year % change in home value: 53.0%
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Minnesota
New Ulm posted the state’s highest year-over-year home value growth (8.6%), but didn’t make the top five due to more modest five-year growth (39%). Orono’s five-year boost of nearly 49% topped the field.
1. Orono
- October 2025 home value: $1,110,678
- 1-year % change in home value: 3.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 48.9%
2. Austin
- October 2025 home value: $184,419
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.3%
- 5-year % change in home value: 46.6%
3. Hibbing
- October 2025 home value: $156,548
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 45.8%
4. La Crescent
- October 2025 home value: $350,679
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.6%
- 5-year % change in home value: 44.2%
5. Bemidji
- October 2025 home value: $210,974
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 43.2%
Missouri
Dixon was one of three Missouri locales to show 60%+ home value growth since 2020. Dixon also posted the fourth-highest year-over-year bump (7.9%).
1. Dixon
- October 2025 home value: $201,364
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 65.3%
2. Sedalia
- October 2025 home value: $178,300
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.5%
- 5-year % change in home value: 55.1%
3. Bowling Green
- October 2025 home value: $211,487
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.8%
- 5-year % change in home value: 50.6%
4. Palmyra
- October 2025 home value: $233,365
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.8%
- 5-year % change in home value: 49.3%
5. Richmond
- October 2025 home value: $228,833
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 55.3%
Nebraska
Of the 15 Nebraska locales that qualified for GBR’s breakdown, only Schuyler topped the 60% threshold for five-year home value growth. Schuyler finished just behind Beatrice — a city of about 12,000 in southeast Nebraska — for year-over-year growth.
1. Schuyler
- October 2025 home value: $226,922
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 60.1%
2. Beatrice
- October 2025 home value: $181,527
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.3%
- 5-year % change in home value: 51.4%
3. Sidney
- October 2025 home value: $164,962
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.5%
- 5-year % change in home value: 55.3%
4. Wayne
- October 2025 home value: $229,649
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.3%
- 5-year % change in home value: 52.0%
5. York
- October 2025 home value: $215,683
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 45.5%
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North Dakota
The Peace Garden State is easy to break down, as only one city qualified for GBR’s breakdown. Bethold, a town of just a few hundred residents located 23 miles west of Minot, saw a 43% increase in home values from October 2020 to this past October.
1. Berthold
- October 2025 home value: $327,758
- 1-year % change in home value: 4.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 42.7%
Ohio
Sidney posted Ohio’s biggest year-over-year bump in home values (9.4%). The tiny village of Apple Creek didn’t make the top five, despite posting the state’s highest five-year growth (68%).
1. Austintown
- October 2025 home value: $171,459
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 62.2%
2. Galion
- October 2025 home value: $164,441
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 58.5%
3. Brooklyn
- October 2025 home value: $199,085
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.2%
- 5-year % change in home value: 55.4%
4. Sidney
- October 2025 home value: $205,329
- 1-year % change in home value: 9.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 46.8%
5. Hubbard
- October 2025 home value: $162,724
- 1-year % change in home value: 8.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 54.7%
South Dakota
The eastern South Dakota city of Madison far outpaced other Mount Rushmore State locales, as well as national averages. Madison saw 7.1% growth year-over-year, as well as nearly 66% growth since 2020.
1. Madison
- October 2025 home value: $256,732
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 65.9%
2. Vermillion
- October 2025 home value: $265,351
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.0%
- 5-year % change in home value: 46.7%
3. Pierre
- October 2025 home value: $291,892
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.7%
- 5-year % change in home value: 39.0%
4. Mitchell
- October 2025 home value: $249,346
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.1%
- 5-year % change in home value: 44.4%
5. Rapid City
- 5-year % change in home value: 46.9%
- October 2025 home value: $355,234
- 1-year % change in home value: 2.1%
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Wisconsin
Manitowoc was one of nine Wisconsin cities to see 60%+ home value growth since 2020, posting a state-best 64.8% bump. Weston failed to crack the top five despite a strong 10.5% year-over-year increase.
1. Mauston
- October 2025 home value: $251,009
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.7%
- 5-year % change in home value: 61.3%
2. Appleton
- October 2025 home value: $289,820
- 1-year % change in home value: 7.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 60.3%
3. Beloit
- October 2025 home value: $191,169
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.4%
- 5-year % change in home value: 64.0%
4. Manitowoc
- October 2025 home value: $228,345
- 1-year % change in home value: 5.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 64.8%
5. Green Bay
- October 2025 home value: $270,833
- 1-year % change in home value: 6.9%
- 5-year % change in home value: 60.2%
Photo disclaimer: Imagery is for representational purposes only and may not depict exact locations mentioned.
Methodology: GOBankingRates looked at the 7,500 largest housing markets in America, according to Zillow, that also had a 1-year and 5-year percent change in home value above the national average. GOBankingRates then looked at these factors across every state. The 1-year and 5-year percent changes in home values were scored. The places had to have an October 2020 home value above $100,000. North Dakota had their city size limit expanded, but still was not able to have 5 cities. Zillow’s October 2025 data was collected Nov. 17, 2025.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Cities in Every Midwestern State Where Home Values Are Blowing Up
