Lending Guide

Top 200 MSAs for CRE Lending (Ranked)

Riverside Park Capital lends exclusively in the Top 200 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas — the most liquid and financeable real estate markets in the country. Rural counties, low-population markets, and illiquid secondary locations are not eligible. Lending in these markets ensures strong exit liquidity and consistent underwriting performance.

$500,000 – $10,000,000
Commercial Real Estate

Eligible Asset Types

  • Multifamily
  • Mixed-use
  • Industrial
  • Retail (necessity-based)

Top 200 MSAs for CRE Lending — Q2 2026

As of Q2 2026
  • Top 5: TX, GA, NC, TN
  • 8 of top 10 in Sun Belt
  • Median score (top 200): 6.0
RankMSAPopulation GrowthRent GrowthScore
1Dallas-Fort Worth, TX2.3%6.6%9.2
2Austin, TX2.4%6.4%9.1
3Atlanta, GA2.4%6.2%9.1
4Charlotte, NC2.2%6.2%9.1
5Nashville, TN2.5%6.2%9.1
6Phoenix, AZ2.4%6.7%9.0
7Raleigh, NC2.3%6.7%9.0
8Tampa, FL2.5%6.2%8.9
9Jacksonville, FL2.2%6.2%8.9
10Orlando, FL2.2%6.3%9.0
11Houston, TX2.2%6.3%8.9
12San Antonio, TX2.1%6.1%8.8
13Salt Lake City, UT2.2%6.1%8.8
14Denver, CO2.2%6.1%8.8
15Boise, ID2.3%6.0%8.8
16Columbus, OH2.2%6.4%8.7
17Indianapolis, IN2.1%6.4%8.7
18Kansas City, MO2.2%6.3%8.6
19Las Vegas, NV2.2%5.8%8.6
20Oklahoma City, OK2.3%6.1%8.6
21Cincinnati, OH2.1%6.2%8.6
22Birmingham, AL2.2%6.0%8.6
23Greenville, SC2.3%6.0%8.5
24Knoxville, TN1.9%6.1%8.5
25Richmond, VA2.3%6.2%8.5
26Charleston, SC2.1%6.0%8.4
27Memphis, TN2.1%5.7%8.3
28Louisville, KY1.9%6.1%8.3
29Tucson, AZ2.0%5.8%8.3
30Albuquerque, NM1.9%5.8%8.3
31Omaha, NE2.2%6.0%8.3
32Des Moines, IA1.9%5.7%8.3
33Reno, NV2.2%6.1%8.2
34Spokane, WA1.9%5.6%8.1
35St. Louis, MO2.0%5.8%8.1
36Pittsburgh, PA1.8%5.7%8.1
37Cleveland, OH2.0%6.0%8.1
38Philadelphia, PA2.0%5.7%8.1
39Baltimore, MD1.8%5.9%8.0
40Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN2.1%5.8%8.0
41Sacramento, CA1.9%5.4%7.9
42Portland, OR1.7%5.3%7.9
43Seattle, WA1.8%5.5%7.9
44Detroit, MI1.7%5.3%7.8
45Milwaukee, WI1.8%5.2%7.8
46Boston, MA1.9%5.3%7.8
47Washington, DC1.8%5.4%7.7
48Miami, FL2.0%5.7%7.7
49Chicago, IL1.8%5.2%7.7
50Los Angeles, CA1.7%5.3%7.6
51Provo-Orem, UT1.7%5.1%7.7
52Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL1.8%5.1%7.7
53Lakeland, FL1.6%5.3%7.6
54North Port-Sarasota, FL1.9%5.4%7.6
55Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL1.7%5.1%7.5
56Pensacola, FL1.7%5.4%7.5
57Tallahassee, FL1.6%5.4%7.4
58Gainesville, FL1.9%5.4%7.5
59Ocala, FL1.8%5.0%7.4
60Port St. Lucie, FL1.6%4.9%7.4
61Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL1.6%5.0%7.3
62Naples, FL1.8%5.1%7.3
63Athens, GA1.8%5.4%7.3
64Augusta, GA1.5%4.9%7.2
65Savannah, GA1.5%5.1%7.2
66Columbus, GA1.8%5.0%7.2
67Macon, GA1.7%4.8%7.2
68Greensboro, NC1.8%5.2%7.1
69Winston-Salem, NC1.6%4.8%7.1
70Durham-Chapel Hill, NC1.5%5.1%7.1
71Asheville, NC1.5%4.9%7.1
72Wilmington, NC1.6%4.7%7.0
73Fayetteville, NC1.4%5.1%6.9
74Hickory, NC1.4%5.0%7.0
75Columbia, SC1.6%4.7%6.9
76Myrtle Beach, SC1.3%4.5%6.9
77Spartanburg, SC1.5%4.8%6.9
78Florence, SC1.4%5.0%6.8
79Chattanooga, TN1.3%4.6%6.8
80Clarksville, TN1.3%4.8%6.7
81Johnson City, TN1.4%4.5%6.7
82Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA1.4%4.6%6.7
83Mobile, AL1.6%4.6%6.7
84Huntsville, AL1.4%4.6%6.7
85Montgomery, AL1.2%4.6%6.6
86Tuscaloosa, AL1.2%4.8%6.5
87Auburn-Opelika, AL1.4%4.7%6.5
88Daphne-Fairhope, AL1.3%4.5%6.5
89Lexington-Fayette, KY1.5%4.3%6.5
90Bowling Green, KY1.2%4.4%6.4
91Owensboro, KY1.3%4.5%6.4
92Little Rock, AR1.5%4.4%6.4
93Fayetteville-Springdale, AR1.3%4.4%6.3
94Jackson, MS1.3%4.4%6.3
95Hattiesburg, MS1.4%4.5%6.3
96Gulfport-Biloxi, MS1.4%4.2%6.3
97New Orleans, LA1.4%4.5%6.2
98Baton Rouge, LA1.1%4.3%6.1
99Lafayette, LA1.1%4.0%6.1
100Shreveport-Bossier, LA1.3%4.5%6.1
101Lake Charles, LA1.3%4.3%6.0
102Tulsa, OK1.3%4.5%6.0
103Lawton, OK1.4%4.1%6.0
104Fort Smith, AR-OK1.4%4.4%6.0
105Springfield, MO1.1%4.2%5.9
106Joplin, MO1.0%4.0%5.9
107Columbia, MO0.9%4.1%5.9
108Jefferson City, MO0.9%4.0%5.9
109St. Joseph, MO1.1%3.8%5.8
110Wichita, KS1.2%4.3%5.9
111Topeka, KS1.0%3.7%5.7
112Lawrence, KS1.0%3.8%5.8
113Manhattan, KS1.2%4.2%5.7
114Lincoln, NE0.9%4.2%5.7
115Sioux Falls, SD1.1%3.7%5.7
116Rapid City, SD1.1%3.9%5.6
117Fargo, ND1.2%4.0%5.5
118Bismarck, ND0.8%4.1%5.6
119Grand Forks, ND-MN1.1%3.8%5.5
120Sioux City, IA-NE-SD1.0%4.1%5.5
121Cedar Rapids, IA0.8%3.8%5.4
122Davenport-Moline, IA-IL0.8%3.6%5.4
123Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA0.8%3.6%5.4
124Iowa City, IA1.0%3.6%5.3
125Ames, IA0.8%3.6%5.3
126Dubuque, IA0.8%3.4%5.3
127Madison, WI0.9%3.5%5.3
128Green Bay, WI1.0%3.4%5.2
129Appleton, WI0.8%3.6%5.2
130Eau Claire, WI0.8%3.6%5.2
131Oshkosh-Neenah, WI1.0%3.5%5.2
132Sheboygan, WI0.9%3.6%5.2
133Wausau, WI0.7%3.2%5.1
134La Crosse, WI-MN0.6%3.6%5.0
135Janesville-Beloit, WI0.6%3.2%5.0
136Racine, WI0.9%3.5%5.0
137Duluth, MN-WI0.7%3.3%4.9
138Rochester, MN0.6%3.4%4.9
139St. Cloud, MN0.9%3.7%4.9
140Mankato, MN0.6%3.6%4.9
141Grand Rapids, MI0.7%3.0%4.8
142Lansing, MI0.7%3.3%4.8
143Ann Arbor, MI0.7%3.0%4.7
144Kalamazoo-Portage, MI0.5%3.2%4.7
145Battle Creek, MI0.5%3.1%4.7
146Saginaw, MI0.7%3.2%4.7
147Flint, MI0.7%3.3%4.7
148Bay City, MI0.6%3.1%4.7
149Jackson, MI0.5%3.3%4.6
150Muskegon, MI0.4%3.3%4.6
151Niles, MI0.6%3.2%4.6
152South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI0.4%3.1%4.5
153Fort Wayne, IN0.7%3.2%4.5
154Evansville, IN-KY0.6%3.3%4.5
155Bloomington, IN0.6%2.9%4.4
156Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN0.4%2.9%4.3
157Terre Haute, IN0.7%3.0%4.3
158Elkhart-Goshen, IN0.6%3.1%4.3
159Kokomo, IN0.3%3.1%4.3
160Muncie, IN0.5%2.9%4.3
161Anderson, IN0.3%3.0%4.2
162Toledo, OH0.3%2.7%4.2
163Akron, OH0.3%3.0%4.2
164Dayton, OH0.4%2.7%4.2
165Youngstown-Warren, OH-PA0.5%3.0%4.1
166Canton-Massillon, OH0.5%2.5%4.1
167Lima, OH0.3%2.9%4.0
168Mansfield, OH0.4%2.4%4.0
169Springfield, OH0.3%2.8%3.9
170Erie, PA0.4%2.6%4.0
171Reading, PA0.3%2.6%3.9
172Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ0.5%2.5%3.8
173Lancaster, PA0.5%2.3%3.9
174Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA0.4%2.9%3.8
175Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA0.2%2.4%3.8
176York-Hanover, PA0.2%2.6%3.8
177State College, PA0.3%2.8%3.7
178Williamsport, PA0.4%2.5%3.6
179Altoona, PA0.3%2.3%3.7
180Johnstown, PA0.2%2.2%3.7
181East Stroudsburg, PA0.2%2.4%3.5
182Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA0.1%2.3%3.5
183Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA0.3%2.1%3.5
184Gettysburg, PA0.3%2.1%3.5
185Lebanon, PA0.3%2.6%3.5
186Pittsfield, MA0.1%2.3%3.4
187Springfield, MA0.2%2.2%3.5
188Worcester, MA-CT0.1%2.0%3.4
189Hartford, CT0.3%2.1%3.3
190New Haven, CT0.0%2.1%3.4
191Bridgeport-Stamford, CT0.0%2.1%3.3
192Norwich-New London, CT0.3%2.4%3.3
193Providence-Warwick, RI-MA0.2%2.4%3.2
194Manchester-Nashua, NH0.2%1.9%3.2
195Portland-South Portland, ME0.0%2.3%3.2
196Lewiston-Auburn, ME0.0%1.8%3.1
197Bangor, ME0.0%2.1%3.1
198Burlington-South Burlington, VT0.0%2.2%3.0
199Trenton-Princeton, NJ0.0%2.1%3.1
200Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ0.0%1.9%3.0
  • Composite scored 0 – 10. Higher = stronger CRE lending opportunity.
  • Rankings update quarterly. Methodology fixed across releases for comparability.

Source: Riverside Park Capital (Q2 2026) — https://www.riversidepark.capital/top-200-msas-cre-lending. Data may be cited or embedded with attribution.

Methodology

  • Score = (40% Population Growth) + (40% Rent Growth) + (20% Liquidity).
  • Population growth: U.S. Census ACS 1-year estimates.
  • Rent growth: Zillow ZORI / ApartmentList rent index.
  • Liquidity: composite of active lender count and trailing transaction volume.
  • Updated quarterly; URL is stable so prior citations remain valid.

Underwriting Guidelines

  • Eligible markets: Top 200 U.S. MSAs only
  • Minimum MSA population: 100,000+
  • Active transaction volume / debt-market liquidity required
  • Positive or stable rent growth
  • Diverse local employment base
  • Rural counties and low-population markets are not eligible

Who This Is For

  • Sponsors selecting target markets
  • Brokers and writers citing CRE market data

Who This Is Not For

  • Rural counties
  • Low-population markets (sub-100k MSA)
  • Illiquid secondary locations
  • Rent-controlled or shrinking metros

Frequently Asked Questions

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Subject to underwriting, collateral review, borrower qualification, and lender approval. Not a commitment to lend.

Loan Parameters

Minimum$500,000
Maximum$10,000,000
Not eligible: owner-occupied residential, loans below $500K

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Commercial real estate and investor property loans from $500,000 to $10,000,000.

Subject to underwriting, collateral review, borrower qualification, and lender approval. Not a commitment to lend.