Ryan Byrd

What Is the Average Home Price in 2026? NAR, Zillow and Redfin Give Three Different Answers

The average home price in 2026 depends on who is counting. NAR’s median existing-home price was $417,500 in September, Redfin’s median sale price was $393,895, and Zillow’s typical home value was $364,812 in October. Each uses a different method, and all three show prices up less than 2% from a year ago.

What Is the Average Home Price in 2026?

Source	What it measures	Latest reading	Change vs. last year
NAR (September)	Median existing-home price	$417,500	+1.3%
Redfin (September)	Median sale price	$393,895	+1.3%
Zillow (October)	Typical home value (ZHVI)	$364,812	+0.7% (down 0.6% from September)
S&P Cotality Case-Shiller (July)	Repeat-sales price index	Index, July 2026	+1.9% national

Sources: NAR’s September existing-home sales report, Redfin, Zillow’s October 2026 market report and the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller July 2026 release. We covered NAR, Redfin and Case-Shiller in Are Home Prices Falling in 2026?. Zillow’s October number is new.

Why Do NAR, Zillow and Redfin Show Different Prices?

They measure different things. A median sale price is the middle price of homes that sold that month, so it jumps when more big houses sell. Zillow’s typical home value estimates a mid-priced home across the whole market, sold or not. Case-Shiller tracks price changes on the same homes over time.

That is why Zillow’s number is lower than NAR’s. They are not wrong; they answer different questions. Pick one source and compare it with itself month to month.

How Much Did a House Cost in 1997 Compared With Now?

NAR says the median home price in 1997 was $129,000, the year Congress set today’s $250,000 and $500,000 home sale tax limits, per NAR’s capital gains page. At $417,500 today, the median price is about 3.2 times higher. We explain what that means for sellers in When Will the More Homes on the Market Act Pass?.

Are Home Prices Falling Month to Month?

Slightly, by Zillow’s measure. Its typical home value slipped 0.6% from September to October, and the share of listings with a price cut was 26.5%, down from 27.3% in September, per Zillow’s October 2026 market report. Newly pending listings fell 16.8% from a year earlier, the biggest drop since August 2023.

Prices are holding while sales fall, which is a standoff. Zillow expects November to be the low point for sales, with the slowdown easing into the new year. Its next report is due December 4. See why sellers are pulling homes off the market and 1 in 5 Sellers Just Cut Their Price.

Refer and Earn: Know a homeowner who wants to know what their house is worth today? Our Refer and Earn program pays you $500 once the sale closes, with no fees and no limit. If their sale closes with us, you earn. Refer a homeowner.

How Much Is the Monthly Payment on the Average Home?

Zillow estimates $2,004 a month for a typical home with 20% down, before taxes and insurance. That is up 12.8% from a year ago and 4.8% from September, the largest monthly jump in four years, per The MortgagePoint. Freddie Mac’s rate averaged 7.33% in October, up from 6.86% in September.

A median-income household would spend 34.7% of its income on that payment, up from 32.7% a year earlier, per the same report. Rates eased to 7.24% for the week ending October 29, per Yahoo Finance. Read what the Fed hold means and whether to sell now or wait.

How Do Home Prices Differ by Region?

NAR region (September median)	Price	Change vs. last year	Byrd and Co states
Northeast	$523,600	+4.7%	CT, MA, NJ, NY, PA
Midwest	$329,600	+3.1%	IN, OH
South	$361,000	+0.2%	DE, MD, VA, KY, TN, FL
West	$613,600	-0.3%	AZ, CO

Source: NAR’s September existing-home sales report. We grouped our states by NAR’s Census regions. In Zillow’s October table, home values were up in Chicago (+4.8%) and New York (+4%) and down in Dallas and Houston (-1.9% each), per The MortgagePoint. See our Colorado, New York and Florida pages.

How Should Sellers Use These Numbers?

Ignore the national average for pricing. Price from closed sales near you.
Check three sources. If NAR, Zillow and your agent disagree, trust recent local closings.
Plan for 7%+ rates. Buyer budgets limit what your home can fetch.
Know your floor. A cash offer shows what you can get quickly.
Track your net, not the headline. Subtract repairs, fees and taxes. See the Tennessee, Arizona and New Jersey guides.

With Byrd and Co, a cash sale typically works like this: you contact us, we review the home as-is, you get a no-obligation cash offer, and we can close in as little as one to two weeks. Read what a cash offer is and why cash sales are rising. Also see what falling flip profits say about the market.

Refer and Earn: Do you have a friend or family member who is unsure about listing? Our Refer and Earn program pays you $500 once the sale closes, with no fees and no limit. We make a cash offer within 24 hours. Refer a homeowner.

Wondering what the average home price means for your house? Talk to the Byrd and Co team, no pressure, just real answers. Get your no-obligation cash offer and see our services.

Frequently Asked Questions About Home Prices in 2026

What is the average home price in 2026?

It depends on the source. NAR reported a $417,500 median in September, Redfin $393,895, and Zillow’s typical home value was $364,812 in October.

How much does the average house cost in the U.S.?

Using NAR’s September median, about $417,500. Zillow’s lower typical-value figure is $364,812, which includes homes that did not sell.

Did house prices drop in 2026?

Not nationally from last year. Zillow’s value rose 0.7% year over year but slipped 0.6% from September to October, and Case-Shiller showed a 1.9% annual gain for July.