Spring showed up in the data. In February, days on market were elevated across most NJ counties, a typical winter pattern. March looks different: DOM dropped sharply in Hudson (-15.9%), Passaic (-14%), Essex (-7.5%), Union (-7.4%), and Monmouth (-6.9%). Buyers who searched patiently through winter are now moving, and in the higher-demand counties sellers are meeting them with competitive listings.
Essex County hit a 106.5% sale-to-list ratio, meaning the average home sold for 6.5% above asking. That's the highest reading of any county I've tracked this year, and a clear sign that Essex's spring market is running hot.
Data note: All figures in this report reflect March 2026 data sourced from the Redfin Data Center. Published April 17, 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.
DOM is falling with spring
The most important March number is what happened to days on market. Five counties saw DOM fall year over year:
| County | Feb DOM | Mar DOM | vs. last March |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
A 12-day drop in Hudson and a 22-day drop in Monmouth are big moves. Buyers are acting faster than they were a year ago, which is what you'd expect as spring inventory opens up and competition builds.
Morris and Union are tied for fastest at 25 days median DOM, so homes in both counties are selling in under 4 weeks.
Essex County: 106.5% sale-to-list
Essex is the biggest story this month. At a 106.5% 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.
Essex was at 103.9% in February, so 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.
For buyers, I'd have a pre-approval in hand and an escalation clause ready, with an agent, attorney, and lender who can all respond the same day. Writing one offer at asking and waiting doesn't work in Essex right now.
For sellers who've been waiting for the right time to list in Essex, I'd list now. April will be more competitive on the seller side as more listings hit, and the early-spring advantage goes to whoever lists first.
Price leaders: Hudson and Passaic
Hudson County posted a $725,000 median (+10.7% YoY), the largest absolute price gain of any county this month. Its market health score is 48/100, technically a Buyer's Market, but with only 1,303 active listings (down 11.7% year over year) the spring momentum is real. Hoboken leads at $944/sqft, and Jersey City is 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 (second only to Somerset among the 12). DOM dropped 14% year over year. After two straight 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) in March, a turn from February, when it was one of the hotter markets of the 12. Inventory is up 7.9% and DOM is down to 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, and the 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 room to negotiate. For Shore-area buyers who want leverage on price and time, Ocean offers the most of it right now.
Full county breakdown, March 2026
| County | Score | Median Price | YoY | DOM | Sale/List | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | 33 — Buyer's | $760K | +1.7% | 74 days | 101.9% | 1,972 |
| Burlington | 57 — Balanced | $390K | +2.6% | 39 days | 99.5% | 969 |
| Essex | 53 — Balanced | $665K | +5.6% | 49 days | 106.5% | 1,295 |
| Hudson | 48 — Buyer's | $725K | +10.7% | 53 days | 99.4% | 1,303 |
| Mercer | 56 — Balanced | $423K | +6.2% | 51 days | 100.1% | 745 |
| Middlesex | 41 — Buyer's | $550K | +2.6% | 75 days | 100.7% | 1,809 |
| Monmouth | 54 — Balanced | $727K | +5.8% | 27 days | 100.5% | 1,257 |
| Morris | 56 — Balanced | $660K | +1.9% | 25 days | 104.4% | 592 |
| Ocean | 38 — Buyer's | $461K | −3.7% | 49 days | 98.5% | 2,052 |
| Passaic | 60 — Balanced | $625K | +11.4% | 49 days | 103.8% | 676 |
| Somerset | 61 — Balanced | $550K | +5.3% | 33 days | 101.9% | 456 |
| Union | 46 — Buyer's | $643K | −2.7% | 25 days | 103.5% | 672 |
What to watch in April
Inventory will shape the rest of spring. Middlesex (+14.1%) and Burlington (+12.8%) are adding listings, which is good news for buyers in those counties. Hudson (-11.7%) and Monmouth (-7.1%) are tightening further, so the DOM drop we saw in March could speed up.
The above-asking 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%) all ran hot. If that continues into April, Somerset could join them given its low supply.
Somerset is still the tightest market of the 12. It has just 456 active listings and a 61/100 market health score, the highest of any county. At a $550K median, it's meaningfully more affordable than Morris or Monmouth. I don't expect it to stay undervalued for long.
Find your county
All 12 county dashboards have 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 down to 27 days, shore and suburbs moving
- Union County: 103.5% sale-to-list despite softer prices
- Bergen County: recovering slowly, still the most buyer-friendly at scale
- Mercer County: +6.2% YoY, Princeton corridor holding strong
- Middlesex County: +14.1% inventory growth, more options for buyers
- Ocean County: highest inventory, -3.7% YoY, the most 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: useful as spring listings heat up
- NJ Closing Costs: What to Expect: budget the full cost before you offer
Note: 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.
