Hillsborough County, NH Housing Market Update: July 2026

Key Takeaways

• Hillsborough County continued to favor sellers in July, with homes selling in a median of 24 days, the typical sale closing above asking price, and nearly 58% of transactions finishing above list.
• The median sale price held at $548,392, up about 3% year over year—still below the national growth rate of 3.2%, marking a slight deceleration from earlier in 2026.
• Inventory expanded 8% year over year to 1,494 active listings, yet supply remained critically tight at just 1.71 months—well short of the 4–6 months that signal balance.

Hillsborough County, NH Housing Market Snapshot

Hillsborough County’s housing market entered midsummer with familiar dynamics: tight supply, brisk sales, and prices holding near record levels. Closed sales grew about 6% year over year to 556, new listings jumped about 11%, and the share of homes selling above asking ticked up roughly 3 percentage points. Yet pending sales slipped about 1%, the first negative reading in months, hinting that buyer urgency may have crested even as seller confidence remained intact.

Below is a detailed look at Hillsborough County, NH housing data for July 2026, along with what it means for buyers and sellers heading into fall.

U.S. Housing Market Snapshot

Nationally, the housing market essentially flatlined in July: prices rose about 3%, but pending sales edged down about 1%, active inventory dipped slightly, and days on market held unchanged at 49. In Hillsborough County, the picture was materially different—homes sold in roughly half the national time, the above-list rate more than doubled the national average of 25%, and inventory grew while it contracted elsewhere. The county outperformed on speed and competition, though its price growth slightly trailed the national pace for the first time in several months.

“The U.S. housing market continued its slow recovery in July, but again felt some bumps in the road,” said Chen Zhao, Redfin’s head of economics research. “Both supply and demand declined for the second month in a row, propping up prices and exacerbating the slow and expensive buyer’s market that has defined the post-pandemic period. Mortgage rate and economic volatility tied to the war in Iran and an unexpectedly hot job market has added a layer of uncertainty as well. Most buyers and sellers won’t see a much improved housing market, but economists are confident that affordability and normalcy will return in the coming years.”

Hillsborough County Prices Held Near Record Levels

The median sale price in Hillsborough County reached $548,392 in July, up about 3% from a year ago but essentially flat compared to June’s $550,000. Nationally, prices rose 3.2%. Since early 2019, county prices have appreciated roughly 99%, more than doubling from the mid-$270,000s to over half a million. The median price per square foot rose about 3% to $285, suggesting that gains were broadly distributed rather than driven by a compositional shift toward larger homes.

Price reductions affected 16.6% of active listings, up about 2 percentage points from a year ago, reflecting more seller flexibility at the margin. Still, the typical home sold for about 2% above its list price, and about 58% of sales closed above asking—up from 55% last July. Sellers who priced correctly continued to attract multiple offers; those who overshot found the market less forgiving than a year earlier.

Home Sales Climbed While National Transactions Dipped

Homes in Hillsborough County sold in a median of 24 days in July, 3 days longer than a year ago but still half the 49-day national pace. Closed sales rose about 6% to 556, while pending sales dipped about 1% to 546—the first year-over-year decline after months of gains. About 59% of homes went under contract within two weeks, essentially unchanged from last July, confirming that well-priced listings still moved almost immediately.

The national market showed no change in speed: median days on market sat at 49, and roughly 32% of homes went under contract within two weeks. Hillsborough County’s demand metrics remained dramatically stronger on every measure. The small dip in pending sales likely reflected a dwindling pool of available well-priced properties rather than any retreat in buyer appetite.

Inventory Grew Steadily but Remained Far Below Balance

Active listings climbed about 8% year over year to 1,494, the highest July total since 2021, yet months of supply remained at just 1.71—firmly in seller’s-market territory. New listings rose about 11% to 618, meaning more sellers entered the market than a year ago. Nationally, active inventory actually contracted slightly (-0.6%), making Hillsborough County’s supply recovery a notable divergence.

The age of inventory held steady at 36 days, unchanged year over year, indicating that the new supply was being absorbed at roughly the same rate it arrived. While buyers had more options than 12 months prior, the structural deficit remained severe: at the current absorption pace, it would take about 21 months of supply growth at 8% annually just to reach the low end of a balanced market. For now, sellers retained pricing power.

Luxury Sales Surged While Entry-Level Prices Declined

Redfin analysis of MLS data • Rolling three-month period (April-June 2026)

The luxury tier powered much of the county’s headline price growth. The top 5% surged about 14% to a median of nearly $1.19 million, with volume jumping over 36%. Nearly half of luxury sales closed above asking—up 11 percentage points year over year. The high tier ($689,042 median) also outperformed, gaining nearly 5% with the strongest above-list rate (66%) of any segment.

The bottom of the market told a different story. The cheapest 5% of homes saw prices slip about 1% to $228,596, sales declined 8%, and only about 28% sold above list—down nearly 24 percentage points. Starter homes ($381,054) gained 3% in price but shed 8 points of above-list activity and took 13 days longer to sell than a year earlier. Buyers shopping below the median had materially more leverage; those competing for high-end properties faced the fiercest bidding in the county.

How Buyers and Sellers Can Navigate Hillsborough County’s Market

If you’re buying in Hillsborough County, speed remains essential—about 59% of homes go under contract within two weeks. In the high tier, over 66% of sales closed above asking, so budget above list price if targeting the $500,000–$700,000 range. Starter homes under $400,000 offer a rare opening: prices there rose only 3%, far fewer sold above list, and days on market stretched to 28, giving room for negotiation and inspection contingencies.

If you’re selling, the market still favored you broadly—1.7 months of supply and a 101.6% sale-to-list ratio confirm that. However, the 16.6% of listings carrying price reductions is a signal: homes priced more than 3–5% above comparable recent sales risk sitting. Lean on your agent’s comparable-sale data to price accurately from day one, particularly in the starter tier where buyer competition softened measurably from last summer.

Hillsborough County, NH Market Data by City

Rolling three-month period (May-July 2026). Cities with 50+ sales shown. Click any column header to sort.

This article has been generated, in whole or in part, using generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, with input from Redfin head of economics research Chen Zhao. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of this information, you should independently verify all data, facts, and citations contained in this article before relying on it for any purpose. This information is not a substitute for advice from a real estate agent, financial advisor, or other licensed professional. County-level data is not seasonally adjusted. Check the Redfin Data Center for additional in-depth housing market data.

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