It’s not unusual to visit a city, fall in love with its vibes and consider relocating to live there permanently. However, some buyers may wonder whether it’s smart to spend their money on a home in cities with a high favorability or whether they should seek out another housing market instead.
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So, is it worth it to move to a popular metro? GOBankingRates reviewed the 50 U.S. cities ranked in a YouGov survey as the most favorable with Americans and spoke to two real estate professionals about whether any of these cities are due to experience real estate booms.
According to their shared insight, five of the most-loved cities to rank are positioning themselves as the best places to live.
Raleigh, North Carolina
- Net favorability: +73
Raleigh, with a net favorability of +73, ranks most favorably with Americans who have been to this city before.
Could, or should, your next visit to Raleigh include spending time viewing open houses? Jacob Naig, real estate investor at We Buy Houses in Des Moines, said Raleigh benefits from the “Southern Triangle” economic pull. The city has a combination of a strong local economy (with many tech and biotech companies relocating operations there), a migration-friendly climate and housing costs that are rising but are still much cheaper compared to coastal markets.
If macroeconomic conditions like interest rates and job growth align, Naig said, Raleigh could be on the edge of a real estate boom.
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San Diego
- Net favorability: +61
While we’re not surprised to see San Diego ranks favorably with Americans who have been there before, California can be a tough state to settle in due to its high cost of living and expensive housing.
Despite these obstacles, Phil Green — CEO of I Buy SD, the largest privately held single-family homebuyer in San Diego — said San Diego has been in a constant state of boom for a while. People are still moving to the city, and Green predicts the market will stay hot for years to come.
“You can find it all here, from the lovely weather to the potential for active lifestyles. Coupled with a growing biotech industry and a military professional presence we have the perfect recipe for high demand and tight supply,” he said.
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Nashville, Tennessee
- Net favorability: +65
While Raleigh ranked most favorably with Americans who have been to the city before, Nashville leads the nation in overall favorability, according to YouGov.
Naig said Nashville, alongside Raleigh and Tampa, is on the verge of a real estate boom provided the aforementioned macroeconomic conditions continue to align. “Nashville, once solely recognized for its music and entertainment allure, now has new areas of growth like healthcare and logistics to base expansion on,” he said.
The Nashville housing market, according to data shared by Axios, has stayed steady throughout summer 2025 despite falling home values across the Southeast.
Tampa, Florida
- Net favorability: +57
Not only is Tampa favorable with those who visit the city, but it’s getting cheaper to buy a home. A recent Axios report said home prices in Tampa Bay fell nearly 6% year-over-year in June 2025 to $362,150.
“Tampa is winning from Florida’s low state taxes, tourist infrastructure and the demographic wave of remote workers looking for a sunbelt lifestyle without Miami’s fancy price tag,” Naig said.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Net favorability: +69
Buyers have the upper hand now more than ever before in Colorado. A new report from the Colorado Association of REALTORS expects average home prices to increase throughout the state, with buyers well-positioned to negotiate terms that fit their needs.
Naig doesn’t anticipate a city such as Colorado Springs will experience an explosive real estate boom, but rather benefit from steady appreciation. “(Colorado Springs) is known for its quality of life, but is reliant on certain industries like defense and aerospace, which makes the city more susceptible to industry slowdowns.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: These 5 Most-Loved Cities Could See Real Estate Booms
