Buffalo, N.Y., will for the second year in a row be the hottest housing market in the country due to its job market stability and affordable home prices, according to a report released Tuesday by online real estate marketplace Zillow.

Zillow's analysis considers such factors as home construction, the local job market and the percentage of homeownership.

With steep competition to find a home in the new year, these cities offer affordable options for buyers in the housing market.

Buffalo may be known for its colder temperatures, but it also has one of the hottest housing markets in the country.

Zillow has forecasted the hottest housing markets for 2025, highlighting Connecticut's Hartford area as seeing significant growth and popularity.

Affordability remains a barrier after the pandemic-era boom as home prices continue to rise and mortgage rates stay high.

Salt Lake ranks 10th on a list of the nation's hottest housing markets. Utah ranks as one of the least-affordable states for homebuyers.

Charlotte held the highest rank among Southern markets on Zillow's list. Richmond, Virginia, also appeared among the top 10, ranking at No. 9. Raleigh, the only other North or South Carolina metro in the analysis, ranked at No. 21 — down four spots from last year.

This year's hottest markets mostly share three key factors: relatively affordable homes, scarce inventory, and a strong job market.

While the national housing supply recently reached a four-year high, buying a home in some U.S. cities may be especially difficult in 2025, a new Zillow report suggests. To make its predictions, Zillow reviewed multiple factors — including how quickly homes have been selling,