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Where you live can make a big difference in what your home is worth.
While home prices have cooled across much of the country, some cities are still seeing values climb.
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From 2025 to 2026, the typical home value across the nation’s largest cities dropped approximately 1%, with prices declining in 70% of markets, according to a new SmartAsset report.
“Home values can reflect cost of living trends in an area, giving hopeful homebuyers as well as existing homeowners a pulse on the momentum in their local market,” the personal finance site said in an April report.
However, housing markets can vary depending on the city.
SmartAsset found that while some cities saw home values drop more than 9%, others saw increases of more than 5%.
To identify where home prices are rising the fastest, SmartAsset analyzed one-year home value changes in the nation’s 100 largest cities.
Here’s which California city made the list:
Where did home prices increase the most in the US?
Toledo, Ohio, ranked No. 1, with typical home values rising 5.6% over the past year.
The average home increased from about $119,600 in 2025 to $126,300 in 2026.
Lincoln, Nebraska, ranked second, with a 4.1% annual increase, pushing its typical home value from approximately $274,000 in 2025 to about $285,400 in 2026.
Where did home prices increase the most in California?
San Francisco ranked No. 3 nationwide, with home values rising 4% over the past year.
The city’s typical home value climbed from about $1.25 million in 2025 to roughly $1.3 million in 2026.
“San Francisco and New York City – among some of the priciest housing markets nationwide at a typical value of $1.3 million and $800k respectively – ranked third and fourth for price growth at 4.0% each,” SmartAsset said.
Despite San Francisco’s recent gains, it isn’t California’s most expensive housing market.
SmartAsset said Irvine had the highest typical home value in 2026 at nearly $1.54 million, followed by San Jose at about $1.44 million.
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Where did home values increase the most in the US?
SmartAsset said these are the top 10 cities where home values increased most in 2026:
- Toledo, Ohio
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- San Francisco
- New York City
- Milwaukee
- Buffalo, New York
- Lexington, Kentucky
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
Which California city saw the biggest home price drop?
SmartAsset said Oakland “experienced the steepest decline” among the nation’s largest cities this year.
Home values fell about 9.1% over the past year, dropping from roughly $770,700 in 2025 to about $700,800 in 2026.
SmartAsset also found Oakland was the only major city across the country where home values are lower today than they were before the coronavirus pandemic.
Where did home values decrease the most in the US?
According to SmartAsset, these are the top 10 cities where home values decreased most in 2026:
- Oakland
- Saint Petersburg, Florida
- Naples, Florida
- Austin, Texas
- Plano, Texas
- Aurora, Colorado
- Denver
- Atlanta
- Stockton
- Tampa, Florida
How did SmartAsset come up with its findings?
SmartAsset analyzed Zillow Home Value Index data for single-family homes, condos and co-ops across the nation’s 100 largest cities.
The report compared home values from February 2025 to February 2026 and also analyzed changes since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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