Southern Metros Dominate 2026 New Home Construction Rankings

Eight of the ten most favorable markets for new construction are located in the South, according to the annual analysis. These cities benefit from a combination of permissive zoning, lower land costs, and streamlined building codes that allow developers to expand supply more effectively than in other regions. Charleston earned an overall score of 84.7 out of 100, bolstered by a median new-build listing price of $443,273 compared to $504,832 for existing residences.

Following Charleston, the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, S.C., and Boise City, Idaho, markets round out the top three. The rankings reveal a clear preference for small-to-midsize metros, with Charlotte and Nashville serving as the only top-10 entries among the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. According to Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com, these smaller, high-growth hubs succeed because they create conditions where new construction provides a genuine, competitive alternative to the existing housing stock. Many of these top-ranked areas are also anchored by major research universities, which help stabilize local economies and sustain consistent housing demand.