10/25/2026
September 2026 at a glance
Here’s a look at what’s happening in Wisconsin real estate. Rates are up, home sales slowed a little in September, and buyers have a few more choices. But the market still looks different depending on where you’re buying or selling.
- Mortgage rates are making a difference. The average 30-year fixed rate was 6.86% in September, up about half a percentage point from a year ago. That’s the highest since January 2025, when it hit 6.96%.
- September sales slowed, but prices still went up. Home sales were down 2.4% compared to last September. The median price increased 1.5% to $342,000—a much smaller increase than we’ve been seeing.
- For the year overall, we’re still ahead. Through September, home sales were up 2.8% compared to the first nine months of 2025. The statewide median price was $346,500, up 6%.
- Buyers have a little more to choose from. New listings were down 5.1%, but the total number of homes on the market was up 3.8% compared to last September.
- Inventory is slowly improving. Wisconsin had 4.4 months of supply in September, up 2.3% from a year ago. We’ve been seeing gradual improvement since December 2022.
- Location matters. Larger metro counties had about 4 months of supply, smaller metro areas had 4.5 months, and rural counties had 6.1 months. Around six months is considered balanced, so the more populated areas still favor sellers.
- Affordability is still a challenge. Even with the smallest annual price increase since June 2014, higher mortgage rates and income growth that stayed flat made buying harder. Overall affordability was down 5.5% from a year ago.
What does this mean for you? Your local market, your budget, and your goals matter. Statewide numbers give us a starting point, but let’s look at what’s happening where you want to buy or sell.
