Data note: All figures in this report reflect July 2026 data sourced from the Redfin Data Center. Published August 12, 2026.
If June's story was "more inventory, yet the market tightened," July's is simpler and louder: the seller's market broadened across the state. In June, four counties sat in Seller's Market territory. In July it's six — half the twelve counties I serve — and 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. Translation: summer demand didn't cool — it spread.
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%.
Here's the county-by-county picture.
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 pushed in. That's a meaningful broadening of seller strength.
Morris County stayed the strongest market in the state (74/100) — median $773K (+7.2% YoY), a 20-day DOM, and a 104.8% sale-to-list ratio. Five straight months of sub-20-day pace makes Morris structurally the tightest county in NJ. If you're buying in Morristown, Madison, or Chatham, arrive pre-approved and decisive.
Union County (68/100) is the fastest market in the state at a 19-day DOM, with the highest sale-to-list ratio outside Essex at 105.5% and $747K median (+6.8% YoY). Midtown Direct access (Westfield, Summit) plus buyers priced out of Essex keeps it hot.
Passaic County (67/100) posted the biggest price gain in the state: +11.9% YoY to $648K, on a 104.1% sale-to-list ratio. Passaic remains the release valve for NYC commuter demand that can no longer afford Bergen or Essex — and July's number shows that demand at full strength.
Somerset County (67/100) is the clean confirmation of last month's call. June's headline was Somerset's -12.7% YoY — which I flagged as a mix-shift artifact, not a real decline. July: +6.9% YoY at $723K, 21-day DOM, 102.9% sale-to-list. The underlying market was tight all along; June's median just reflected which homes happened to close.
Essex County (63/100) again posted the highest sale-to-list ratio in the state: 108.5% — the average Essex home closing roughly $65K above asking on a $748K median (+6.1% YoY), with a fast 27-day DOM. Montclair, Maplewood, and Bloomfield remain bidding-war territory.
Monmouth County (61/100) rounded out the six — $745K (+5.2% YoY), a 21-day DOM, and 102.1% sale-to-list. Fast and firmly in seller territory.
Passaic Leads, Mercer Surges
Two price stories stand out beyond the seller's-market list.
Passaic's +11.9% YoY is the state's top gain — 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 genuine 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 counties, but the affordability-relative-to-Somerset appeal is clearly drawing competition.
Where Buyers Still Have Room: Hudson & Middlesex
Two counties remain Buyer's Markets, and they're where negotiating leverage still lives.
Hudson County (33/100) — median $747K but only +3% YoY, a 42-day DOM, and a 100.25% sale-to-list ratio (essentially at asking). In a state where 10 of 12 counties see over-asking closings, Hudson is the one urban market where a buyer can still transact near list price with room to negotiate. Jersey City and Hoboken stay strong; the county average is pulled by outer neighborhoods.
Middlesex County (30/100) is the most buyer-friendly by the numbers — +1.5% YoY at $563K, the longest DOM among the big counties at 65 days, and 3,402 active listings (among the highest supply). New Brunswick and less-connected suburban pockets are where buyers get real time to shop.
Inventory: Easing, but Concentrated
Statewide active listings dipped to 31,332 (from June's ~32,264). The supply that remains is concentrated in three counties: Ocean (3,948), Bergen (3,890), and Middlesex (3,402).
Bergen stays the priciest county at $848K (+6.4% YoY) but also the slowest-moving at a 70-day DOM — the healthy signature of a high-end market where luxury simply takes longer to transact (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): +5.8% YoY, 99.2% sale-to-list — the one large county still closing slightly below asking, and the best shot at leverage on the shore.
Full County Breakdown — July 2026
| County | Median Price | YoY | DOM | Sale/List | Listings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | $848K | +6.4% | 70 days | 103.3% | 3,890 | 46 — Balanced |
| Burlington | $439K | +7.0% | 28 days | 100.5% | 1,913 | 60 — Balanced |
| Essex | $748K | +6.1% | 27 days | 108.5% | 2,290 | 63 — Seller's |
| Hudson | $747K | +3.0% | 42 days | 100.3% | 2,429 | 33 — Buyer's |
| Mercer | $548K | +7.5% | 42 days | 101.0% | 1,421 | 55 — Balanced |
| Middlesex | $563K | +1.5% | 65 days | 101.6% | 3,402 | 30 — Buyer's |
| Monmouth | $745K | +5.2% | 21 days | 102.1% | 2,575 | 61 — Seller's |
| Morris | $773K | +7.2% | 20 days | 104.8% | 1,432 | 74 — Seller's |
| Ocean | $523K | +5.8% | 28 days | 99.2% | 3,948 | 51 — Balanced |
| Passaic | $648K | +11.9% | 42 days | 104.1% | 1,339 | 67 — Seller's |
| Somerset | $723K | +6.9% | 21 days | 102.9% | 1,131 | 67 — Seller's |
| Union | $747K | +6.8% | 19 days | 105.5% | 1,307 | 68 — Seller's |
What to Watch in August
Does the six-county seller's block hold? Somerset, Essex, and Monmouth just crossed into Seller's territory. If August sustains their sub-30-day DOM and over-100% sale-to-list, this is a durable summer shift, not a one-month spike.
Passaic's +11.9%. That's an aggressive number. Watch whether commuter-belt inventory refreshing into late summer moderates it, or whether NYC-affordability pressure keeps pushing it.
Ocean's direction. It slipped from Seller's to Balanced this month. With the state's highest inventory (3,948) and a still-sub-100% sale-to-list, Ocean is the shore's leverage market — the question is whether that leverage widens or the summer buyers absorb it like they did in June.
Hudson and Middlesex. Both remain Buyer's Markets. If either starts closing over asking or compressing DOM, the last pockets of buyer leverage in the state are tightening — and that's 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 in NJ
- Union County — 19-day DOM (fastest), 105.5% S/L
- Passaic County — +11.9% YoY, top price growth in the state
- 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, most patient high-end market
- 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; transact near list price
- Middlesex County — most buyer time, longest DOM
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
Every county is telling a different story right now — Union closing in 19 days, 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 specific situation.
Mahesh Sangisetty is a licensed NJ Realtor (#2334343) with Boutique Realty, serving buyers, sellers, and investors across New Jersey.