Across the 15 MORPC counties the typical home lists near $390,401 and goes to contract in about 43 days. Ross County is the tightest market; Hocking County is the slowest moving.
Regional overview, then one page per MORPC county. June 2026. Flip with the arrow keys.
across 15 counties
typical time to contract
homes for sale region-wide
| County | Median price | DOM | Active | Price YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County | $599,000 | 34 | 512 | -0.1% |
| Fairfield County | $437,450 | 37 | 281 | +4.0% |
| Fayette County | $239,900 | 49 | 66 | -9.4% |
| Franklin County | $322,500 | 37 | 2,289 | -7.1% |
| Hocking County | $567,000 | 60 | 168 | -3.5% |
| Knox County | $389,357 | 38 | 147 | +0.4% |
| Licking County | $432,900 | 41 | 335 | +2.5% |
| Logan County | $274,750 | 50 | 161 | -16.4% |
| Madison County | $400,575 | 33 | 76 | +8.0% |
| Marion County | $204,250 | 43 | 116 | -1.2% |
| Morrow County | $537,400 | 45 | 67 | +49.2% |
| Perry County | $299,075 | 51 | 63 | -0.3% |
| Pickaway County | $390,401 | 47 | 120 | +7.5% |
| Ross County | $277,000 | 32 | 98 | +8.4% |
| Union County | $611,906 | 45 | 178 | +12.1% |
Tightest market: Ross County · Slowest: Hocking County. Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Realtor.com inventory, Census ACS income.
Last month we projected the region's median price within 3.6% of where it landed.
direction right 87% of the time
direction right 27% of the time
direction right 73% of the time
An Isolation Forest screened 505 peer counties across six market behaviors. No MORPC county lands in the strangest 5% this month.
80% range $371,621 to $419,399
80% range 25 to 51
80% range 134 to 183
Models are picked by a rolling backtest that never sees the future, one champion per county cluster. MASE below 1.00 beats a naive forecast; the accuracy targets were written down before this run.
| Metric | Champion (counties) | MASE vs target | Direction vs target | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median list price | ensemble (15) | 1.36 vs 0.90 | 55% vs 60% | F |
| Days on market | ensemble (15) | 0.88 vs 0.95 | 71% vs 55% | A |
| Active listings | ensemble (15) | 0.93 vs 0.70 | 65% vs 70% | C |
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+23.8%) while prices soften (+0.4%).Dilution market
Investor lens · Stable. 27% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +14% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (+0.4% year over year).
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $524,727 home runs about 22.8% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 83% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.64% of value, roughly $8,626 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 97% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.5% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $64,964. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 72% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 84% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 100% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
27% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 34 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 91% of peers.
Prices are running +0.4% year over year while inventory is +23.8%, which places Delaware County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +14.2% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 70% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 17th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 9th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 70th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 72th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 17th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 100th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 91th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 3th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 72th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 25th pct |
“The Ghost Town. Both prices (+1.9%) and supply (+6.0%) are contracting.Stagnation market
Investor lens · Stable. 23% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +18% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (+1.9% year over year).
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $370,287 home runs about 24.1% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 90% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.15% of value, roughly $4,248 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 24th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.8% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $48,012. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 70% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
23% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 37 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 83% of peers.
Prices are running +1.9% year over year while inventory is +6.0%, which places Fairfield County in the ↙ Stagnation quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +18.1% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 62% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 10th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 17th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 62th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 70th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 10th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 90th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 83th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 24th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 70th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 33th pct |
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+7.3%) while prices soften (+2.6%).Dilution market
Investor lens · Stable. 25% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit -2% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (+2.6% year over year).
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $245,872 home runs about 23.2% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 86% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.96% of value, roughly $2,366 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is middle of the pack, around the 42th percentile of peers, so the tax bill is neutral to affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.2% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +2.8% year over year; typical worker earnings run $39,426. On economic vitality that is top-tier, ahead of 83% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 69% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 93% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
25% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 49 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 86% of peers.
Prices are running +2.6% year over year while inventory is +7.3%, which places Fayette County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit -2.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 93% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 14th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 14th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 93th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 83th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 14th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 53th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 86th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 42th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 83th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 40th pct |
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+7.7%) while prices soften (+0.1%).Dilution market
Investor lens · Stable. 24% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +7% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (+0.1% year over year).
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $301,340 home runs about 23.1% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 86% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.55% of value, roughly $4,661 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 95% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.9% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $45,288. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 67% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 58% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 42% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is above average, ahead of 76% of peers, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
24% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 37 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 86% of peers.
Prices are running +0.1% year over year while inventory is +7.7%, which places Franklin County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +7.0% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 83% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 14th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 14th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 83th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 67th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 14th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 86th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 86th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 5th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 67th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 23th pct |
“The Boom Town. Supply is rising (+63.1%) and prices are still climbing (+5.3%).Expansion market
Investor lens · Cooling. 30% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +97% versus the underlying value index; values are up +5.3% year over year.
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $288,493 home runs about 26.6% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 96% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. With wages stretched this thin, price gains from here are capped until incomes or rates move.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.01% of value, roughly $2,927 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 36th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.6% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $38,111. On economic vitality that is middle of the pack, around the 58th percentile of peers, which is neutral to both grades.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
30% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 60 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 97% of peers.
Prices are running +5.3% year over year while inventory is +63.1%, which places Hocking County in the ↗ Expansion quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +96.5% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is near the bottom of the region, behind 95% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 4th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 3th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 5th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 58th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 4th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 56th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 97th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 36th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 58th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 72th pct |
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-2.0%) and pushing prices up (+5.6%).Scarcity market
Investor lens · Stable. 28% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +33% versus the underlying value index; values are up +5.6% year over year.
Resident lens · Strong. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $293,332 home runs about 22.5% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 20th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.07% of value, roughly $3,151 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 30th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.8% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +1.5% year over year; typical worker earnings run $40,571. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 79% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
28% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 38 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 94% of peers.
Prices are running +5.6% year over year while inventory is -2.0%, which places Knox County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +32.7% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is below average, behind most peers (the 36th percentile). A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 20th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 6th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 36th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 79th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 20th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 84th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 93th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 30th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 79th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 75th pct |
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-12.8%) and pushing prices up (+3.7%).Scarcity market
Investor lens · Stable. 19% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +25% versus the underlying value index; values are up +3.7% year over year.
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $345,136 home runs about 24.1% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 90% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.26% of value, roughly $4,337 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 82% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.9% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.6% year over year; typical worker earnings run $46,457. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 69% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 67% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 91% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
19% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 41 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is below average, behind most peers (the 38th percentile).
Prices are running +3.7% year over year while inventory is -12.8%, which places Licking County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +25.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is middle of the pack, around the 45th percentile of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 10th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 38th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 45th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 69th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 10th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 87th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 62th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 18th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 69th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 53th pct |
“The Boom Town. Supply is rising (+35.9%) and prices are still climbing (+4.0%).Expansion market
Investor lens · Stable. 24% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +6% versus the underlying value index; values are up +4.0% year over year.
Resident lens · Strong. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $258,347 home runs about 21.2% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 34th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.05% of value, roughly $2,701 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 33th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.9% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.6% year over year; typical worker earnings run $42,611. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 70% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 68% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 92% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
24% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 50 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 84% of peers.
Prices are running +4.0% year over year while inventory is +35.9%, which places Logan County in the ↗ Expansion quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +6.3% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is top-tier, ahead of 84% of the 505-county peer set. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 34th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 16th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 84th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 70th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 34th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 67th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 84th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 33th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 70th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 56th pct |
“The Ghost Town. Both prices (+1.5%) and supply (+1.3%) are contracting.Stagnation market
Investor lens · Stable. 19% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +24% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (+1.5% year over year).
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $322,279 home runs about 21.9% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 26th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.05% of value, roughly $3,394 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 32th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.6% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.8% year over year; typical worker earnings run $45,993. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 76% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 94% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
19% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 33 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is middle of the pack, around the 41th percentile of peers.
Prices are running +1.5% year over year while inventory is +1.3%, which places Madison County in the ↙ Stagnation quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +24.3% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is middle of the pack, around the 46th percentile of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 26th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 41th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 46th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 76th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 26th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 81th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 58th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 32th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 76th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 31th pct |
“The Boom Town. Supply is rising (+27.6%) and prices are still climbing (+7.1%).Expansion market
Investor lens · Stable. 28% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +10% versus the underlying value index; values are up +7.1% year over year.
Resident lens · Strong. Comfortably within reach of local incomes; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $186,484 home runs about 18.4% of a local paycheck. That is above average, ahead of 62% of peers, so affordability helps the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.98% of value, roughly $1,827 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 39th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.2% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is -0.3% year over year; typical worker earnings run $37,641. On economic vitality that is middle of the pack, around the 55th percentile of peers, which is neutral to both grades.
County schools average 48% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is middle of the pack, around the 45th percentile of peers, which is neutral to the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
28% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 43 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 93% of peers.
Prices are running +7.1% year over year while inventory is +27.6%, which places Marion County in the ↗ Expansion quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +9.5% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 79% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 62th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 7th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 79th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 55th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 62th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 29th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 93th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 39th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 55th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 86th pct |
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-7.6%) and pushing prices up (+3.4%).Scarcity market
Investor lens · Cooling. 29% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +87% versus the underlying value index; values are up +3.4% year over year.
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $286,724 home runs about 22.9% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 83% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.10% of value, roughly $3,153 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 28th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.1% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.7% year over year; typical worker earnings run $41,545. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 69% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 60% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 80% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
29% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 45 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 96% of peers.
Prices are running +3.4% year over year while inventory is -7.6%, which places Morrow County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +87.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is near the bottom of the region, behind 94% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 17th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 4th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 6th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 69th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 17th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 61th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 95th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 28th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 69th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 50th pct |
“The Ghost Town. Both prices (-0.1%) and supply (+0.8%) are contracting.Stagnation market
Investor lens · Stable. 30% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +30% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (-0.1% year over year).
Resident lens · Strong. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $230,216 home runs about 20.1% of a local paycheck. That is middle of the pack, around the 46th percentile of peers, so affordability is neutral to the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.93% of value, roughly $2,138 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is middle of the pack, around the 45th percentile of peers, so the tax bill is neutral to affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.5% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.6% year over year; typical worker earnings run $41,151. On economic vitality that is middle of the pack, around the 60th percentile of peers, which is neutral to both grades.
County schools average 63% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 84% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
30% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 51 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 97% of peers.
Prices are running -0.1% year over year while inventory is +0.8%, which places Perry County in the ↙ Stagnation quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +29.9% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is below average, behind most peers (the 39th percentile). A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 46th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 3th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 39th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 60th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 46th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 52th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 96th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 45th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 60th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 23th pct |
“The Boom Town. Supply is rising (+6.7%) and prices are still climbing (+3.4%).Expansion market
Investor lens · Stable. 28% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +17% versus the underlying value index; values are up +3.4% year over year.
Resident lens · Stable. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are rising, which builds equity over time.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $332,519 home runs about 25.8% of a local paycheck. That is near the bottom of the region, behind 95% of peers, so affordability weighs on the grade. With wages stretched this thin, price gains from here are capped until incomes or rates move.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.03% of value, roughly $3,439 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 34th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 3.0% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.8% year over year; typical worker earnings run $45,037. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 71% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 70% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 95% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
28% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 47 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 93% of peers.
Prices are running +3.4% year over year while inventory is +6.7%, which places Pickaway County in the ↗ Expansion quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +17.4% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is above average, ahead of 64% of peers. A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 5th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 7th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 64th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 71th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 5th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 78th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 93th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 34th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 71th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 51th pct |
“The Seller's Market. Inventory is tightening (-4.4%) and pushing prices up (+3.2%).Scarcity market
Investor lens · Stable. 22% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +34% versus the underlying value index; values are up +3.2% year over year.
Resident lens · Strong. Comfortably within reach of local incomes; values are rising, which builds equity over time; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $206,711 home runs about 19.6% of a local paycheck. That is middle of the pack, around the 52th percentile of peers, so affordability is neutral to the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 0.99% of value, roughly $2,057 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is below average, behind most peers (the 38th percentile), so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 4.0% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is -1.7% year over year; typical worker earnings run $40,787. On economic vitality that is below average, behind most peers (the 31th percentile), which drags both grades.
County schools average 58% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is above average, ahead of 75% of peers, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
22% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 32 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is below average, behind most peers (the 25th percentile).
Prices are running +3.2% year over year while inventory is -4.4%, which places Ross County in the ↖ Scarcity quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +34.0% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is below average, behind most peers (the 35th percentile). A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 52th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 25th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 35th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 31th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 52th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 54th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 74th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 38th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 31th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 48th pct |
“The Buyer's Market. Supply is flooding in (+19.1%) while prices soften (+1.4%).Dilution market
Investor lens · Stable. 23% of active listings have taken a price cut; list prices sit +46% versus the underlying value index; values are roughly flat (+1.4% year over year).
Resident lens · Strong. A stretch but workable on local wages; values are holding steady; list prices run well above the index, the signature of a desirable or lifestyle market where buyers pay for the place, not the spreadsheet.
At a 6.55% 30-year mortgage, the monthly payment on a typical $419,056 home runs about 21.7% of a local paycheck. That is below average, behind most peers (the 28th percentile), so affordability weighs on the grade. There is genuine headroom for local incomes to absorb higher prices.
The effective property-tax rate here is about 1.25% of value, roughly $5,258 a year on a typical home. Against peers that is near the bottom of the region, behind 82% of peers, so the tax bill weighs on affordability for an owner-occupant.
Unemployment is 2.4% (BLS, latest month), and the job base is +0.7% year over year; typical worker earnings run $55,678. On economic vitality that is above average, ahead of 79% of peers, which lifts both grades.
County schools average 77% proficiency across reading and math (enrollment-weighted across every district), and 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. On the combined education signal that is top-tier, ahead of 99% of the 505-county peer set, which lifts the resident grade. School data reflects the latest reliable state testing (around 2018); county figures are enrollment-weighted, so a large urban district can pull the average down even where strong suburban districts exist.
23% of active listings have cut their price and homes are taking about 45 days to go under contract. Fewer cuts mean sellers hold pricing power; more cuts shift leverage toward buyers. On pricing discipline this county is near the bottom of the region, behind 81% of peers.
Prices are running +1.4% year over year while inventory is +19.1%, which places Union County in the ↘ Dilution quadrant of the regional matrix. List prices sit +46.0% versus the ZHVI value index; against peers that gap is below average, behind most peers (the 24th percentile). A wide positive gap flags appraisal risk for investors, but in a desirable or lifestyle market it often just reflects what buyers will pay to be here.
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 35% | 28th pct |
| Liquidity & pricing discipline | 30% | 19th pct |
| Reality gap (list vs value) | 20% | 24th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 15% | 79th pct |
| Factor | Weight | This county vs peers |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 30% | 28th pct |
| Schools & education | 20% | 96th pct |
| Buyer leverage | 15% | 81th pct |
| Property taxes | 15% | 18th pct |
| Jobs & economy | 10% | 79th pct |
| Equity / appreciation | 10% | 29th pct |