Over the past few weeks, we have done several articles on relocation trends and the state of the country’s housing market. Throughout the nation, home prices have seen a tremendous increase over the past 6 years, to the point where they are becoming unaffordable for many. One of the issues is the bank financing issues and government regulations that hamper the homebuilder’s ability to supply enough new homes into the market. With a limited supply, competition for available homes is the primary driver of the significant price increase. Increased interest rates have helped slow the price growth somewhat, but not enough.

Pennsylvania is no exception. Zillow ranked the top 50 cities with the highest home value changes in the last 12 months, through September of 2025. Sometimes numbers can be misleading and boring, but that’s kind of what we do here, LOL. The numbers are actually startling, and reveal what potential home buyers are dealing with. Hershey came in 50th place with the average increase in home pricing at $24,500! The average home price in Hershey is now around $397,000. Villanova took the #1 position with an increase of $82,700. The average home values there are around $1,469,000. Home price increases averaged roughly 4.5% to 6.5%, but Olyphant had the highest percentage increase by far, at 16.3%.

The 5-year home price increases were even more startling. In general, home prices increased anywhere between 45% to 55%. Olyphant again led the way at 66.3%. The dollar amount of the increases is what really stands out. The range was a low of $125,000 to a high of $325,700 in Edgeworth (Pittsburgh metro market). This demonstrates the financial hit people are taking when buying a home. There were several cities, each from the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre metro market and the Pittsburgh metro market, in the top 50, as well as several others spread throughout the state. However, by far the majority were from the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Locally, the Lehigh Valley continues to be a hot destination, which is reflected in the continuous price appreciation. September 2025 was a strong month, with an increase in closed sales, pending sales, and new listings up 17%. Homes sold on average in less than 3 weeks! The problem here also, is the Lehigh Valley is already a tight supply market, and inventory declined by 3.7%. This is reflected in an average price increase of 2.5% in one month, from $343,700 to $352,500. October sales decreased slightly, but there was yet another median sales price increase of 1.9%.

The Lehigh Valley also has a city in the top 27 nationally for building wealth in 2025. Allentown came in at #19. This Zillow ranking is based on 10 housing metrics, such as home value growth, sales-to-list ratios, and price cut frequencies. Nearby Reading came in at #9.

Planning a Long-Distance Move? We’re Here to Help

At O’Brien’s Moving & Storage, we understand how rising home prices and shifting housing trends influence where people choose to live. Whether you’re relocating out of Pennsylvania for better affordability, moving across the country for work, or transitioning to a new state to be closer to family, our team is here to make the process smooth and stress-free.

  • Reliable interstate and long-distance moving services
  • Professional packing, loading, and secure transportation
  • Coordinated, full-service support from start to finish
  • Experienced movers specializing in cross-country relocations
  • Customized moving plans that match your timeline and destination

As a proud Allied Van Lines agent, we deliver trusted, efficient long-distance moving solutions backed by decades of experience. If you’re preparing for an out-of-state move, let us handle the logistics while you focus on your new beginning.