In June, inventory rose and the market tightened anyway. July was simpler: the seller's market spread. Four counties were in Seller's Market territory in June, and in July there are six, half of the 12 counties I track. Statewide price appreciation accelerated to +7.7% year over year, up from June's revised +4.6%.
The statewide median hit $602,831. Days on market held at 43, and the sale-to-list ratio stayed at 101.2%. Inventory eased slightly to 31,332 active listings while summer demand kept spreading.
July 2026 at a glance
- NJ statewide median $602,831 (+7.7% YoY)
- 43 days on market
- 101.2% sale-to-list
- 31,332 active listings
- Six Seller's Markets (Morris, Union, Passaic, Somerset, Essex, Monmouth)
- Passaic led price growth at +11.9%
Data note: All figures in this report reflect July 2026 data sourced from the Redfin Data Center. Published August 12, 2026.
Methodology note (Oct 2026): Market labels and scores in this post come from the site's earlier single "Market Health Score." Since October 2026, dashboards show two measures instead: Market Type (months of supply) and Market Temperature (vs. each county's own history). Labels here may not match today's dashboards. The figures in this post reflect the data available when this was published. See the current county dashboards for current numbers, or how the new measures work.
Six Seller's Markets, up from four
The composite health score crossed 60 (Seller's Market territory) in six counties this month: Morris, Union, Passaic, Somerset, Essex, and Monmouth. June had only Morris, Passaic, Ocean, and Union, so Ocean cooled to Balanced while Somerset, Essex, and Monmouth moved in.
Morris County has a $773K median (+7.2% YoY), a 20-day DOM (median days on market), and a 104.8% sale-to-list ratio. At 20 days, Morris ended its April–June run under 20, but its 74/100 is still the highest score of the 12. For buyers in Morristown, Madison, or Chatham, I'd come pre-approved and ready to decide.
Union County (68/100) is the fastest at a 19-day DOM, with the highest sale-to-list outside Essex (105.5%) and a $747K median (+6.8% YoY). NYC commuter rail (Summit on Midtown Direct, Westfield on the Raritan Valley Line) and buyers priced out of Essex keep demand high.
Passaic County (67/100) posted the biggest price gain, +11.9% YoY to $648K, on a 104.1% sale-to-list ratio. NYC commuters priced out of Bergen and Essex are still landing in Passaic, and July's gain shows that demand hasn't let up.
Somerset County (67/100) confirmed last month's call. June's headline was Somerset's -12.7% YoY, which I flagged as a mix-shift artifact (a change in which homes happened to close), not a real decline. In July it posted +6.9% YoY at $723K, with a 21-day DOM and 102.9% sale-to-list. The underlying market was tight all along.
Essex County (63/100) again posted the highest sale-to-list at 108.5%, which puts the average Essex home roughly $65K above asking on a $748K median (+6.1% YoY). DOM is a fast 27 days. Montclair, Maplewood, and Bloomfield remain bidding-war territory.
Monmouth County (61/100) rounded out the six at $745K (+5.2% YoY), with a 21-day DOM and 102.1% sale-to-list.
Passaic leads, Mercer surges
Passaic's +11.9% is worth watching to see whether it holds through late summer or moderates as commuter-belt inventory refreshes.
Mercer County jumped to $548K (+7.5% YoY) from $491K in June, a real acceleration in the Princeton corridor. At a 42-day DOM and 101% sale-to-list it's still a Balanced market (55/100), so buyers have a little more room here than in the six Seller's Markets. Its lower prices next to Somerset are clearly drawing competition, though.
Where buyers still have room: Hudson and Middlesex
Two counties are still Buyer's Markets.
Hudson County (33/100) has a $747K median but only +3% YoY, a 42-day DOM, and a 100.3% sale-to-list ratio, essentially at asking. With nearly every county closing over asking, Hudson is the one urban market where a buyer can still buy near list price with room to negotiate. Whether Jersey City and Hoboken are running stronger than the county average is something county-level data can't show.
Middlesex County (30/100) is the most buyer-friendly by the numbers: +1.5% YoY at $563K, a 65-day DOM, and 3,402 active listings (among the highest supply). In New Brunswick and the less-connected suburban pockets, buyers can still take their time.
Inventory eased, and it's concentrated
Statewide active listings dipped to 31,332 (from June's ~32,264). Most of the supply that remains is in three counties: Ocean (3,948), Bergen (3,890), and Middlesex (3,402).
Bergen is still the priciest county at $848K (+6.4% YoY) and the slowest-moving at a 70-day DOM. That's normal for Bergen's price tier, and a 103.3% sale-to-list means well-priced homes still draw competitive offers.
Ocean cooled from June's Seller's Market to Balanced (51/100), at +5.8% YoY and 99.2% sale-to-list. It's the one large county still closing slightly below asking, and the best shot at leverage on the shore.
Full county breakdown, July 2026
| County | Score | Median Price | YoY | DOM | Sale/List | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | 46 — Balanced | $848K | +6.4% | 70 days | 103.3% | 3,890 |
| Burlington | 60 — Balanced | $439K | +7.0% | 28 days | 100.5% | 1,913 |
| Essex | 63 — Seller's | $748K | +6.1% | 27 days | 108.5% | 2,290 |
| Hudson | 33 — Buyer's | $747K | +3.0% | 42 days | 100.3% | 2,429 |
| Mercer | 55 — Balanced | $548K | +7.5% | 42 days | 101.0% | 1,421 |
| Middlesex | 30 — Buyer's | $563K | +1.5% | 65 days | 101.6% | 3,402 |
| Monmouth | 61 — Seller's | $745K | +5.2% | 21 days | 102.1% | 2,575 |
| Morris | 74 — Seller's | $773K | +7.2% | 20 days | 104.8% | 1,432 |
| Ocean | 51 — Balanced | $523K | +5.8% | 28 days | 99.2% | 3,948 |
| Passaic | 67 — Seller's | $648K | +11.9% | 42 days | 104.1% | 1,339 |
| Somerset | 67 — Seller's | $723K | +6.9% | 21 days | 102.9% | 1,131 |
| Union | 68 — Seller's | $747K | +6.8% | 19 days | 105.5% | 1,307 |
What to watch in August
Can the six-county seller's block hold? Somerset, Essex, and Monmouth just crossed into Seller's territory. Another month of sub-30-day DOM and over-100% sale-to-list would make this a durable summer shift.
Passaic is the one to test in August. Late-summer listings in the commuter belt could cool its +11.9%, or NYC-affordability pressure could keep it climbing.
Ocean slipped from Seller's to Balanced this month. With the most inventory of the 12 (3,948) and a sale-to-list still under 100%, it's the shore's leverage market. The question is whether that leverage widens or summer buyers absorb it as they did in June.
Hudson and Middlesex both remain Buyer's Markets. If either starts closing over asking or its DOM shrinks, the last pockets of buyer leverage are tightening, and I'd take that as the signal to act.
Find your county
All 12 county dashboards are updated with July 2026 data: 13-month price charts, DOM trends, inventory, price per sqft by city, and market-health analysis.
- Morris County: 20-day DOM, strongest Seller's Market of the 12
- Union County: 19-day DOM (fastest), 105.5% sale-to-list
- Passaic County: +11.9% YoY, top price growth of the 12
- Somerset County: +6.9% YoY confirms June was mix-shift noise
- Essex County: 108.5% sale-to-list, the bidding-war capital
- Monmouth County: $745K, 21-day DOM, into Seller's territory
- Bergen County: $848K, priciest county, 70-day DOM
- Mercer County: jumped to $548K, Princeton corridor strengthening
- Ocean County: cooled to Balanced, the shore's leverage market
- Burlington County: $439K entry point, +7% YoY
- Hudson County: a Buyer's Market, with sales near list price
- Middlesex County: lowest score of the 12 (30/100), 65-day DOM
July ranged from Union closing in 19 days to Hudson still negotiable near asking. If you're weighing a move, book a free consultation and I'll walk you through what the July data means for your situation.
Related reading
- NJ Real Estate Market Report — June 2026: where the four-county seller's block started
- Types of Homes in New Jersey: A Complete Guide for Buyers
- NJ Property Taxes Explained: county-by-county rates on a $603K median
