Boston and Seattle are playing for a trophy, and a home value boost might follow for the winner

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Zillow data shows championship markets usually beat national home value growth in the year after winning football's biggest game

• In 13 of the past 20 years, the metro area that won the professional football championship saw home values grow faster than the U.S. average in the year that followed, according to the Zillow Home Value Index.
• On average, the typical home in a championship market gained $4,437 more than the typical U.S. home in the year after the win.

SEATTLE, Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Football fans in Seattle and Boston know that winning the season's biggest game this weekend comes with bragging rights, a parade and gaudy championship rings. A new Zillow® analysis finds that homeowners in the winning metro area may also get an unexpected bonus: stronger home value growth in the year that follows.

Over the past 20 years, home values in the metro area that wins the professional football championship have grown an average of $4,437 more than the national market in the year after the confetti falls. Over that span, the winning city's housing market has beaten the U.S. average 13 times — Philadelphia's lead seems safe with about a month to go, but then again, so did 28-3 with about a quarter to go.

"While this is a fun trend, it's highly unlikely that a championship football team is the driving force causing home values to grow. A win on the field brings bragging rights, but unfortunately won't boost your Zestimate," said Zillow Senior Economist Kara Ng. "Regardless of the outcome, the good news is that we are trending toward a healthier market nationwide, with more homes for sale and buyers better able to afford them."

Some markets really ran up the score. Homeowners in the Tampa metro area saw especially strong gains after their team's championship in February 2021, with home values rising $25,262 more than the national average in the year that followed. Denver followed its 2016 title with home values that outpaced the country by $21,459, while Boston homeowners saw an additional $15,565 in growth after the 2017 win.

Not every champion followed up its trophy win with a real estate boom. In the New York metro area, the typical home value fell $15,741 more than the national average in the year after the 2008 championship — the title won by the team named after a baseball club now playing in San Francisco, not the one named after airplanes. Los Angeles home values did rise following its 2022 win, but by $8,763 less than the typical U.S. home — that title belonged to the team that recently relocated from St. Louis, not the other one that recently moved from San Diego.

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SOURCE Zillow