The NAHB’s Improving Markets Index rose to 259 metropolitan markets in February, a stratospheric rise from its humble beginnings in 2011.

The National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Improving Markets Index expanded to 259 metropolitan markets in February, according to the latest tally from the NAHB.

That’s up from 242 in January, and all 50 states now feature at least one market on the list. Back in September, just 99 markets were a part of the Improving Markets Index.

Here in Illinois, some of the state’s largest markets are featured on the Improving Markets Index, with Bloomington, Chicago, Peoria and Rockford all a part of the list.

David Crowe, the NAHB’s chief economist, highlighted the incredible growth of the Improving Markets Index.

“Just over 70 percent of the 361 metros covered by the IMI are listed as improving this month,” Crowe said. “That’s a far cry from when we initiated this index with just 12 improving metros in September of 2011 for the purpose of highlighting places that didn’t fit the mold of the national headlines. Today, the story is about how widespread the recovery has become as conditions steadily improve in markets nationwide.”

Here’s an infographic that better demonstrates how far the Improving Markets Index has traveled in the last year: