In a Zillow ranking released on Tuesday, Providence and its metro area ranked as the third hottest market in the country, rising two places from where Zillow put it last year. Zillow ranked the 50 largest metro areas in the country. The only hotter markets, where it's even harder to buy a house, are Buffalo, New York and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hartford, Conn., was also forecasted to be among the top markets by the real estate listing website, but Boston ranked 16th among the 50 metro areas compared.

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

Zillow says relative affordability and job growth will be the key drivers among the most competitive markets for buyers in 2025.

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,

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

Buffalo also ranked at the top of the 2024 list, making it the first market to lead the list in back-to-back years. Zillow's analysis considers such factors as home construction, the local job market and the percentage of homeownership.