Data note: All figures in this report reflect June 2026 data sourced from the Redfin Data Center. Published July 17, 2026.
June delivered a genuinely counterintuitive result. Statewide inventory grew +9.4% year-over-year to 32,264 active listings — more homes on the market than at any point this cycle. On paper, that should hand buyers leverage. It didn't. Instead, the market tightened.
New Jersey now has four Seller's Markets — Morris, Passaic, Ocean, and Union — up from just two in May. On the other end, only one county (Hudson) remains a Buyer's Market. The other seven are balanced. A month that added inventory across the board still ended with sellers gaining ground almost everywhere.
The statewide median hit $598K, up +5.9% year-over-year, with a 41-day median DOM and a 101.2% sale-to-list ratio. Buyers are getting more choices — and paying up for them anyway.
Here's what's driving it, county by county.
Four Seller's Markets: The Story of June
In May, Morris and Union stood alone as the state's only Seller's Markets. In June, Passaic and Ocean joined them. That's not a rounding artifact — each crossed the 60/100 health threshold on real movement in demand.
Morris County stayed the strongest market in the state at 71/100. Median price is $773K (+6.6% YoY) with a 17-day median DOM and a 105.5% sale-to-list ratio. This is now four consecutive months of sub-20-day DOM in Morris — that's structural, not seasonal. If you're buying in Morristown, Madison, or Chatham, you're competing against a clock and a bidding pool. Pre-approval and a decision made before you walk through the door are table stakes.
Passaic County is June's breakout story. Its health score jumped to 64/100 — into Seller's Market territory — on the back of +9.2% YoY price growth ($633K median), a 105.5% sale-to-list ratio, and a 30-day DOM. Passaic is the release valve for NYC commuter demand that can no longer afford Bergen or Essex, and June's numbers show that demand fully arriving. With only 1,317 active listings (+2% YoY, the smallest supply growth in the state), Passaic has the tightest inventory dynamics of any large county.
Ocean County crossed into Seller's territory (61/100) while posting the highest price gain in the state: +10.2% YoY to $524K. What makes this remarkable is that Ocean also has the highest inventory in New Jersey at 3,922 active listings. Supply is abundant — and buyers are absorbing it anyway. The sale-to-list ratio sits at 99.6%, still a hair under asking, but DOM compressed to 24 days. The shore premium is real and strengthening.
Union County held its Seller's Market status (61/100) with a 19-day DOM and a 105.2% sale-to-list ratio. Price growth cooled to +2.7% YoY after May's state-leading +10.8% — but that's a normalization off a hot comp, not a weakening. Union sits at the intersection of Midtown Direct rail (Westfield, Summit) and buyers priced out of Essex, and its inventory remains flat.
Essex Hits 108.9% Sale-to-List — Again the Bidding-War Capital
Essex County posted the highest sale-to-list ratio in the state for the third straight month: 108.9%. The average Essex home is closing roughly $86,000 above asking on a $786K median (+4.8% YoY). DOM is a fast 20 days.
Its health score of 60/100 technically lands it in Balanced territory, but the sale-to-list number tells the real story on the ground: this is a Seller's Market in everything but the composite score. For buyers in Montclair, Maplewood, or Bloomfield, the playbook is unchanged — budget 6–10% above asking, skip repair requests on competitive listings, and assume there are five other offers on the table.
Somerset: Don't Misread the -12.7%
The headline number that will grab attention: Somerset County median price fell -12.7% year-over-year. Before reading that as a collapse, look at everything else. DOM is 18 days — the second-fastest market in the state. Sale-to-list is 103.7% — well above asking. Active listings are just 1,103, the tightest supply in New Jersey.
None of that describes a weakening market. This is a textbook mix shift. Median price reflects which homes closed, not what any individual home is worth. Somerset closed a higher share of lower-tier and townhome inventory in June relative to last year's larger, luxury-skewed mix. That drags the median down mathematically while the underlying market stays tight. A 43/100 health score — squarely Balanced — is the more honest read.
Bergen: Priciest County, Most Patient Market
Bergen County remains the most expensive county in the state at $873K (+8.4% YoY) — and one of the biggest single-month price jumps in the dataset. But it's also the slowest-moving of the strong markets: 68-day DOM, the longest in the state, with 3,852 active listings (the second-highest inventory).
That combination — high prices, strong appreciation, but long marketing times — is what a healthy high-end market looks like. Luxury simply takes longer to transact. Sale-to-list at 104.0% means well-priced Bergen homes still command competitive offers; it just takes patience to find the right buyer. Health score: 49/100, Balanced.
Hudson: The Last Buyer's Market Standing
Hudson County is now the only Buyer's Market in New Jersey, at 37/100 — though that's a meaningful recovery from May's 13. Median price is $736K (+4.4% YoY), DOM is 38 days, and the sale-to-list ratio sits at 100.05% — almost exactly at asking, the only county in the state where buyers aren't routinely paying a premium.
That's the opportunity. In a state where 11 of 12 counties are seeing over-asking closings, Hudson is where a buyer can still transact at list price with room to negotiate. Jersey City and Hoboken remain strong submarkets; the county average is pulled by outer neighborhoods with a different demand profile. If you want urban NJ without a bidding war, Hudson in the second half of 2026 is the address.
Inventory: More Homes, Less Relief Than Expected
Statewide active listings grew +9.4% YoY, but the supply is heavily concentrated:
Middlesex County added the most on a percentage basis — +19.8% YoY to 3,390 listings — and it shows in the numbers: a 63-day DOM (among the longest) and a Balanced 45/100 score despite $598K (+7% YoY) pricing. New Brunswick and less-connected suburban pockets are where buyers have genuine time to shop.
Burlington County added +19% YoY to 1,901 listings, keeping it the state's most affordable entry point at $429K (+2.1% YoY) with a 33-day DOM. For first-time and cash-flow-focused buyers, Burlington remains the value play.
Ocean (3,922) and Bergen (3,852) hold the most raw inventory, but as noted above, both are absorbing it — Ocean aggressively, Bergen patiently. The counties where supply is genuinely outpacing demand are Middlesex and Burlington.
Full County Breakdown — June 2026
| County | Median Price | YoY | DOM | Sale/List | Listings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | $873K | +8.4% | 68 days | 104.0% | 3,852 | 49 — Balanced |
| Burlington | $429K | +2.1% | 33 days | 100.7% | 1,901 | 45 — Balanced |
| Essex | $786K | +4.8% | 20 days | 108.9% | 2,347 | 60 — Balanced |
| Hudson | $736K | +4.4% | 38 days | 100.1% | 2,399 | 37 — Buyer's |
| Mercer | $491K | +3.3% | 35 days | 101.0% | 1,406 | 48 — Balanced |
| Middlesex | $598K | +7.0% | 63 days | 101.9% | 3,390 | 45 — Balanced |
| Monmouth | $748K | +3.9% | 20 days | 102.2% | 2,520 | 58 — Balanced |
| Morris | $773K | +6.6% | 17 days | 105.5% | 1,531 | 71 — Seller's |
| Ocean | $524K | +10.2% | 24 days | 99.6% | 3,922 | 61 — Seller's |
| Passaic | $633K | +9.2% | 30 days | 105.5% | 1,317 | 64 — Seller's |
| Somerset | $599K | -12.7% | 18 days | 103.7% | 1,103 | 43 — Balanced |
| Union | $719K | +2.7% | 19 days | 105.2% | 1,316 | 61 — Seller's |
What to Watch in July
Can Passaic and Ocean hold Seller's Market status? Both crossed the threshold in June on strong demand. If July sustains the sub-30-day DOM and over-100% sale-to-list dynamics, these are durable shifts — not one-month blips. Buyers in Wayne, Clifton, Toms River, and Brick should plan accordingly.
Morris at 17 days for a fourth straight month. This is now the defining feature of the NJ market. There is no seasonal explanation left — Morris is structurally the tightest county in the state. First-time buyers targeting it need to compress their timeline.
The inventory paradox. Statewide supply is up nearly 10%, yet the market tightened. If summer brings the usual seasonal listing surge and demand holds, we could see something unusual: rising inventory and rising competition simultaneously. Watch whether Middlesex and Burlington — the two counties where supply is genuinely outrunning demand — start to soften on price.
Somerset's mix shift. If July's median snaps back toward $650K+, June's -12.7% confirms as noise. If it stays depressed while DOM holds under 20 days, something more interesting is happening in the county's transaction mix.
Find Your County
All 12 county dashboards are updated with June 2026 data — 13-month price charts, DOM trends, inventory levels, price per sqft by city, and market health analysis.
- Morris County — 17-day DOM, 105.5% S/L, strongest Seller's Market in NJ
- Passaic County — +9.2% YoY, broke into Seller's territory
- Ocean County — +10.2% YoY (highest in state), Seller's Market with the most inventory
- Union County — 19-day DOM, 105.2% S/L, held Seller's status
- Essex County — 108.9% sale-to-list, the state's bidding-war capital
- Monmouth County — $748K, 20-day DOM, balanced and fast
- Bergen County — $873K, priciest county, most patient high-end market
- Somerset County — 18-day DOM, tightest supply; -12.7% is mix shift
- Mercer County — Princeton corridor, $491K, +3.3% YoY
- Middlesex County — +19.8% YoY listings, most buyer time
- Hudson County — the last Buyer's Market; transact at list price
- Burlington County — $429K entry point, +19% YoY inventory
Related Reading
- Types of Homes in New Jersey: A Complete Guide for Buyers — understand what you're actually buying before you make an offer
- NJ Property Taxes Explained — county-by-county rates on a $598K median
- NJ Closing Costs Guide — every buyer fee itemized
Thinking about buying or selling in this market? Every county is telling a different story right now — from Morris's 17-day sprints to Hudson's at-asking opportunity. Book a free consultation → and I'll walk you through what the June 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.