PINE LEVEL – Based on existing growth, current trends, and forecasts, the Town of Pine Level has been identified as the best up-and-coming housing market in North Carolina. Cities were evaluated based on relative changes in home value over the past decade, trends in both value and sales prices over the past year, and forecasted 2021 home values. Pine Level was selected by Insurfiy for the recognition based on strong projections in median home value and sale prices.
“In real estate, as in many things, it’s important to not only focus on today’s hottest markets, but also on what’s developing on the horizon for tomorrow,” said Insurify CEO Snejina Zacharia. “Though they may not be housing market heavyweights right now, homebuyers should pay attention to the cities with the fastest growth over the past decade, the past year, and into the future.”
Chris Johnson, Director of Johnston County Economic Development said, “Anytime one of our wonderful communities receives state or national acknowledgment of this status, it speaks volumes for all communities here in Johnston County. With our extreme close proximity to Raleigh and the Triangle Region, and the continued improvements of our transportation links such as; the construction of the I540 Southern loop, widening Interstate 40 to 6 lanes and then transition of US70 to Interstate 42, it is not surprise that Pine Level has received this extraordinary recognition. Great community schools, walkable neighborhoods, low crime rates and the appeal of the small town charm are a huge recruiting tools for any economic developer. When you compare the Town of Pine Level with other larger cities on the list such as; Richmond Virginia, Providence Rhode Island and San Marino California, the Town of Pine Level undoubtedly punches above its weight class, and holds true to its claim as…. the Best Little Town in North Carolina.”
“I think it is great,” said Pine Level Mayor Pro Tem Greg Baker. “First of all its unexpected. It tickled me to death to see them recognize a community as small as us. We’re a one stop light town. We have a unique – in my opinion – a unique situation with our town government the way we do business. Our board consists of Republicans, Democrats and Independents like myself. We never have cross words with one another. We sit down and decide what’s best for our oasis. Everybody gets along and that’s a rarity.”
“It says a lot for our community to be selected. We have been lucky with the housing market. We have subdivisions still in the planning stages. We have seen a boom in the housing market,” Mayor Pro Tem Baker added.
To identify the cities with the strongest real estate growth metrics, the data science and research team at Insurify, a home insurance quotes comparison site, turned to Zillow Research. Using a proprietary scoring algorithm, cities were assigned a score based on the relative change in home value between 2010 and 2020, the monthly home value trend from 2019 to 2020, the monthly trend in median home sales prices from 2019 to 2020, and Zillow’s 2021 home value forecast. The city with the highest overall score in each state was identified as the winner. This analysis only applied to incorporated cities with a population exceeding 1500 residents as of the last publicly available census. States with insufficient municipal data – Hawaii and West Virginia – were excluded.
The list of the 2020 Best Up & Coming Housing Market winners by state:
Alabama: Pell City
Alaska: Seward
Arizona: El Mirage
Arkansas: Corning
California: San Marino
Colorado: Akron
Connecticut: Brookfield
Delaware: Milford
Florida: Eatonville
Georgia: Forest Park
Idaho: Caldwell
Illinois: North Chicago
Indiana: Auburn
Iowa: Oakland
Kansas: Satanta
Kentucky: Ludlow
Louisiana: Donaldsonville
Maine: Parsonsfield
Maryland: Bladensburg
Massachusetts: Webster
Michigan: Hamtramck
Minnesota: East Bethel
Mississippi: Gautier
Missouri: Joplin
Montana: Manhattan
Nebraska: Madison
Nevada: Carlin
New Hampshire: Derry
New Jersey: Trenton
New Mexico: Jal
New York: Silver Creek
North Carolina: Pine Level
North Dakota: Williston
Ohio: Trotwood
Oklahoma: Langston
Oregon: Baker City
Pennsylvania: Cressona
Rhode Island: Providence
South Carolina: Woodruff
South Dakota: Hartford
Tennessee: Pigeon Forge
Texas: Cockrell Hill
Utah: South Salt Lake
Vermont: Essex Junction
Virginia: Richmond
Washington: Aberdeen
Wisconsin: Arcadia
Wyoming: Wheatland
