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The Arkansas region where Walmart’s corporate headquarters is fueling major growth is the No. 1 area for new-home construction in 2025, according to a new report from the Realtor.com® economic research team.
The Fayetteville, AR, metro area, which includes Walmart’s HQ in nearby Bentonville, is the best location for homebuyers to find affordable, move-in ready new builds, according to the rankings of the nation’s top new-construction metros.
Fayetteville stands out both for the affordability and availability of new-construction homes, which make up more than 40% of total listings in the area and are typically priced below existing homes.
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The median newly built home in the Fayetteville area is priced at $399,717, even lower than the area’s already affordable existing homes, which typically cost $418,375.
Anchored by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville offers buyers a rare combination of quality, value, and lifestyle in a thriving local economy powered by Walmart and the ecosystem of vendors that supply the retail giant.
The new rankings for new construction consider the top 100 metros by population, and rank them based on four key factors: new-home share of listings, new-home price premiums over existing homes, relative climate risk difference, and buyer demand for new construction.
Seven out of the top 10 metros identified in the new report are located in the South, and more than half of the top 10 are college towns.
Following Fayetteville on the list are Boise, ID; Nashville, TN; McAllen, TX; Portland, ME; Madison, WI; Greenville, SC; Austin, TX; Charlotte, NC; and Raleigh, NC.
“Our top metros for new construction are places where builders are delivering much-needed inventory at price points that reflect local demand,” says Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale.
“With nearly half of the for-sale homes in some of these metros being new construction, and often being sold at or below the cost of existing homes, buyers in these areas have a real chance to find homeownership with high-quality, newly built homes at prices they can afford.”
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With mortgage rates still elevated and many existing homeowners staying put, new construction has emerged as a crucial source of inventory for today’s buyers.
Nationally, the supply of new homes for sale stood at 9.8 months at the current sales pace in June, while the supply of existing homes was just 4.7 months.
On a square-foot basis, new homes now actually tend to be cheaper than existing homes. Nationally, new builds typically list for $218.66 per square foot, compared with $226.56 for existing homes, according to Realtor.com data.
In 4 of the top 10 metros identified in the new report, the typical new home is priced at or below the median existing home price.
Newly built homes also offer modern design, energy efficiency, and in many top metros, lower relative risk for natural hazards like wildfire, flood, or heat compared with existing homes.
“Our data shows that strong local job markets, builder investment, and affordability are converging in these metros to create opportunity,” says Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner.
“When communities reduce zoning barriers and support sustainable building practices, it’s a win for affordability, livability, and long-term resilience,” he adds. “These are the places helping to close the gap between supply and demand, and giving families a shot at the American dream.”