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Greater Hartford is predicted to be America’s hottest home-sales market this year. But despite that, it’s still far from the worst place to go house-hunting.

That’s the conclusion from a new Zillow analysis of the nation’s 49 biggest housing markets by population.

The listing portal’s economists concluded that the Connecticut capital region is the 19th-worst market for buyers, far ahead of other Northeast cities like Providence, Rhode Island, Boston or New York City.

The report said the monthly mortgage payment on the median-priced house in Greater Hartford only takes 33.2 percent of the median homebuyer’s monthly paycheck. That’s right about at the limit of the traditional definition of affordability.

Zillow estimates the region will see its median home price rise 4.8 percent year-over-year in 2026.

“Home shoppers have room to breathe in these buyer-friendly markets. Lower competition gives buyers more time to decide and wiggle room to negotiate, adding up to a less stressful shopping experience,” Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow, said in a statement. “Cooling prices today, paired with expected growth ahead, make for a good entry point for those who have been waiting for the right moment. For sellers, pricing strategically from the start becomes that much more important when buyers hold the power.”