US Metro Real Estate Intelligence
Rankings/Appleton, WI

Appleton, WI

ElevatedTier 1CBSA 11540Compare
Risk Rank: #16 of 287Month: 2025-12Score change (12m): +27
66score
Composite risk percentile vs 287 metros (higher = higher risk)

Cycle Phase

Appleton experienced a market correction from late 2025 through late 2025.

Recovery
Expansion
Hypersupply
Recession
In Recession for 2 months·Previously: Recession

Demand contraction with rising inventory pressure

ExpRecRecRecRecRecRessExpRecHypHypRecExpRess2019202020212022202320242025
Recovery
Expansion
Hypersupply
Recession

Appleton's housing market shows elevated risk, ranking 16th of 287 metros. The market recently entered Recession. The market shows signs of liquidity stress with elevated inventory.

Executive Summary

Risk is Elevated, driven primarily by permit growth and price momentum. The market is in Recession phase. Liquidity is stress and valuation is balanced.

Top Risk Drivers (This Month)

Permit Growth
p97 (highest risk decile)
YoY permit change
Price Momentum
p91 (highest risk decile)
12-month HPI change
Employment
p74 (moderate)
12-month employment change (risk inverted)

Market Signals

Inventory has surged +68% YoY with days on market up -17% — significant supply buildup indicating market stress.

Liquidity

Stress
Active Listings YoY
+67.7%p95
Days on Market YoY
-17.5%p20
Months in status2
Data through Dec 2025

Valuation

Balanced
Rent vs. Price Growth
+0.4%p71
Months in status20
Data through Dec 2025Rent growth vs price growth (rent support). Note: Affordability and Valuation measure different structural dimensions and can diverge.
Factor Details

Factor Breakdown

Price Momentum91

12-month HPI change — higher = overheating

Permit Growth97

YoY permit change — higher = supply pressure

Permits per Capita59

Permits per 1,000 residents — higher = overbuilding risk

Affordability19

Mortgage payment / income — higher = more burdened

Employment74

12-month employment change (risk inverted)

Migration58

Net AGI migration (risk inverted)

Underlying Values

MetricValuePctile
Price Momentum+5.5%p91
Permit Growth+83.7%p97
Permits/1K Pop4.87p59
Affordability0.24p19
Employment-0.2%p74
Net AGI Migration+$369p58
National ContextDoes not affect score

Credit Conditions

Credit Regime

Stable

Active correction with weak transactions but available credit. Buyers can borrow — they're choosing not to at current prices.

Bank Lending Standards
-5.7Normal
Rate Change (YoY)
-74 bpsNormal
Mortgage Risk Premium
+189 bpsElevated
Stable for 8 quartersData through 2026-Q1

Supply Pipeline

Supply Regime

Accumulating

Supply pipeline is building up while credit remains available. New units are accumulating in the system — watch for delivery pressure in coming quarters.

Pipeline Ratio
0.91High
Completion-Permit Divergence
-3.2 ppNormal
Accumulating for 3 quartersData through 2025-Q4
Local SignalsDoes not affect score

Metro Permit Activity

Permit Activity

Surge
YoY Permit Growth
+83.7%Far above norm

Raw signal — not the composite percentile

Relative to 2016–2019 norms for this metro

Significant overbuilding into weak demand. This is the highest-risk metro combination — new supply is delivering into a market that is already struggling to absorb existing inventory.

Liquidity

Liquidity

Stress
Active Listings YoY+67.7%
Days on Market YoY-17.5%
AssessmentSignificant supply buildup
Stress for 2 monthsData through Dec 2025
Internal Structure

County-level structural analysis.

County-level structural analysis is not available for this metro due to fewer than 3 qualifying counties.

Score History
MonthScore
2025-1149
2025-1051
2025-0849
2025-0649
2025-0548
2025-0338
2024-1239
2024-1037
2024-0849
2024-0550
2024-0451
2024-0253
2023-1152
2023-0952
2023-0750
2023-0546
2023-0341
2023-0240
2022-1242
2022-0936
2022-0741
2022-0639
2022-0438
2022-0338
2022-0140
2021-1141
2021-0939
2021-0739
2021-0434
2021-0233
2021-0133
2020-1134
2020-0832
2020-0631
2020-0532
2020-0330
2020-0232
2019-1240
2019-1141
2019-0942
2019-0842
2019-0640
2019-0543
2019-0340
2019-0141
Data Vintages
Price (HPI)2025-Q3
Permits2025-12
Income2024
Employment2025-12
Migration2022