Data note: All figures in this report reflect March 2026 data sourced from the Redfin Data Center. Published April 17, 2026.
Spring showed up in the data. In February, days on market were elevated across most NJ counties — a typical winter pattern. March tells a different story. DOM dropped sharply in Hudson (-15.9%), Passaic (-14%), Essex (-7.5%), Union (-7.4%), and Monmouth (-6.9%). Buyers who were patiently searching through winter are now moving, and sellers are responding with competitive listing activity in the higher-demand counties.
The headline number this month: Essex County hit a 106.5% sale-to-list ratio — meaning the average home sold for 6.5% above asking price. That's the highest reading of any county I've tracked this year, and a clear signal that Essex's spring market is running hot.
Here's the full breakdown.
The Spring Signal: DOM Compression
The most important data point in March is what happened to days on market. Five counties saw DOM fall year-over-year:
| County | Feb DOM | Mar DOM | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | 65 days | 53 days | -15.9% |
| Passaic | 74 days | 49 days | -14.0% |
| Essex | 70 days | 49 days | -7.5% |
| Union | 38 days | 25 days | -7.4% |
| Monmouth | 49 days | 27 days | -6.9% |
These aren't marginal moves. A 16-day drop in Hudson and a 22-day drop in Monmouth signals buyers acting faster than they were a year ago — exactly what you'd expect as spring inventory opens up and competition builds.
Morris and Union are the co-fastest markets at 25 days median DOM — properties are moving in under 4 weeks in those counties.
Essex County: 106.5% Sale-to-List
The biggest story this month is Essex. At a 106.52% sale-to-list ratio, buyers in Montclair, Nutley, and the surrounding area are paying an average of $42,000+ over asking on a $665K median-priced home. That's not a rounding error — that's a competitive spring market.
For context, Essex was at 103.9% in February. The jump to 106.5% in a single month is meaningful. Inventory is down 4.6% year-over-year with only 1,295 active listings across the county. The market health score sits at 53/100 — balanced, but trending toward sellers fast.
What this means for buyers: You need a pre-approval in hand, a fast response team (agent, attorney, lender all reachable same day), and escalation clauses built into your offers. The days of writing one offer at asking and waiting are over in Essex for now.
What this means for sellers: If you've been waiting for the "right time" to list in Essex — this is it. April will be more competitive on the seller side as more listings hit. The early spring advantage belongs to whoever lists first.
Price Leaders: Hudson & Passaic
Hudson County posted $725,000 median (+10.7% YoY) — the largest absolute price gain of any county this month. With only 1,303 active listings (down 11.7% year-over-year) and a market health score of 48/100, it's a buyer's market technically, but the spring momentum is real. Hoboken leads at $944/sqft, Jersey City at $521/sqft.
Passaic County hit $624,500 (+11.4% YoY) with a 103.8% sale-to-list ratio and a market health score of 60/100 — the second-highest in the state, just below Somerset. DOM dropped 14% year-over-year. After two consecutive months of double-digit appreciation, Passaic is the most consistent outperformer in the data.
The Two Softening Counties
Union County posted $642,500 (-2.7% YoY) — a second consecutive month of price softening after being one of the hotter markets in late 2025. Inventory is up 7.9% and DOM is down (25 days), which is a mixed signal: homes are still moving fast, but buyers are getting better prices. The 103.5% sale-to-list ratio suggests demand is still real — the price dip may be temporary, driven by specific segments selling lower this month.
Ocean County continues to cool at $461,250 (-3.7% YoY) with 2,052 active listings — the highest inventory of any county I track. At 98.5% sale-to-list, buyers have negotiating room. If you're looking for a Shore-area property with leverage on price and time, Ocean County is the most buyer-friendly market in the data right now.
Full County Breakdown — March 2026
| County | Median Price | YoY | DOM | Sale/List | Listings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | $760K | +1.7% | 74 days | 101.9% | 1,972 | 33 — Buyer's |
| Burlington | $390K | +2.6% | 39 days | 99.5% | 969 | 57 — Balanced |
| Essex | $665K | +5.6% | 49 days | 106.5% | 1,295 | 53 — Balanced |
| Hudson | $725K | +10.7% | 53 days | 99.4% | 1,303 | 48 — Buyer's |
| Mercer | $423K | +6.2% | 51 days | 100.1% | 745 | 56 — Balanced |
| Middlesex | $550K | +2.6% | 75 days | 100.7% | 1,809 | 41 — Buyer's |
| Monmouth | $727K | +5.8% | 27 days | 100.5% | 1,257 | 54 — Balanced |
| Morris | $660K | +1.9% | 25 days | 104.4% | 592 | 56 — Balanced |
| Ocean | $461K | -3.7% | 49 days | 98.5% | 2,052 | 38 — Buyer's |
| Passaic | $625K | +11.4% | 49 days | 103.8% | 676 | 60 — Balanced |
| Somerset | $550K | +5.3% | 33 days | 101.9% | 456 | 61 — Balanced |
| Union | $643K | -2.7% | 25 days | 103.5% | 672 | 46 — Buyer's |
What to Watch in April
Inventory trajectory will define the rest of spring. Middlesex (+14.1%) and Burlington (+12.8%) are seeing meaningful inventory growth — good news for buyers in those counties. But Hudson (-11.7%) and Monmouth (-7.1%) are tightening further, which means the DOM compression we saw in March could accelerate.
The above-ask premium is spreading. In February, only Essex and Union were reliably clearing asking price. In March, Essex (106.5%), Morris (104.4%), Passaic (103.8%), and Union (103.5%) are all running hot. If this continues into April, Bergen and Somerset aren't far behind given their low supply.
Somerset remains the tightest market overall with just 456 active listings and a 61/100 market health score — the highest in the state. At $550K median, it's meaningfully more affordable than Morris or Monmouth with similar school quality and a faster-moving market. That combination doesn't stay undervalued forever.
Find Your County
All 12 county dashboards are updated with March 2026 data — including 12-month price trend charts, inventory levels, DOM trends, price per sqft by city, and market health analysis.
- Hudson County — $725K, +10.7% YoY, spring momentum building
- Essex County — 106.5% sale-to-list, spring's hottest market
- Passaic County — $625K, +11.4% YoY, two straight strong months
- Morris County — 25-day DOM, 104.4% sale-to-list
- Somerset County — tightest supply, highest market health score
- Monmouth County — DOM dropped to 27 days, shore + suburbs running
- Union County — 103.5% sale-to-list despite price softening
- Bergen County — recovering slowly, still most buyer-friendly at scale
- Mercer County — +6.2% YoY, Princeton corridor holding strong
- Middlesex County — +14.1% inventory growth, most buyer options
- Ocean County — highest inventory, -3.7% YoY, best negotiating power
- Burlington County — $390K median, +12.8% inventory, affordable entry
Related Reading
- NJ Real Estate Market Report — February 2026 — last month's full data for comparison
- New Construction vs. Resale in NJ — relevant as spring listings heat up
- NJ Closing Costs: What to Expect — budget the full picture before you offer
Market data sourced from Redfin Data Center, March 2026. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Past market trends are not a guarantee of future performance. Mahesh Sangisetty | NJ Licensed Realtor #2334343 | Boutique Realty