Markets  ›  NY  ›  Albany

Albany, NY housing market

Albany, NY metro median sale price $371K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 3.6% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Albany, NY metro is $371K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 3.6% from the same 3 months a year earlier. The gain is larger than in most of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro shows a larger change, up 7.0% through Q2 2026, 3.4 points apart; Price reconciliation below shows both.

On median sale price, Albany ($371K) ranks 5th of the 13 New York metros Pecan Street tracks, between Ithaca ($421K) and Glens Falls ($326K). On median days on market, Albany (54 days) ranks 7th of the 13 New York metros, between New York (56 days) and Syracuse (53 days). Albany has the highest share of listings with a price cut of the 13 New York metros (38%), ahead of Binghamton (35%).

Listings spent a median 54 days on market in Sep 2026, fewer than in most of the 385 metros. 38% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 3.0 points higher. Median asking prices sit about 13% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 142 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $2,000 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $86K a year. The median sale price equals about 15 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio up 3.7% from a year earlier. Active listings ask a median $240 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is up 0.4%.

In six of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are higher than a year earlier; five are lower; one is unchanged.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$371K

+3.6% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$2,000/mo

$86K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Albany compares to other U.S. metros

Asking-vs-sale gap↑17th of 291 (top 6%)
Home-price growth↑144th of 383 (top 38%)
Days on market↓229th of 385
Price cuts179th of 385 (top 47%)
Price-to-rent192nd of 373

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 15 +3.7% YoY
192nd of 373
Asking price / sq ft$240 +0.4% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 38% +3.0 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
179th of 385 (top 47%)
New housing units permitted142

The median asking price $420K runs about 13% above the median sale price $371K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Sep 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data12 shown of 114
MLS board of recordGreater Capital Association of REALTORS
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Recent notable readings

Readings from the latest data that sit at one end of the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, from the nightly cross-metro comparison. They are not signal alerts.

Housing Economy

Albany · ConstructionCOPIED

Albany builders pulled 12.3% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Albany metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct507510012515020252026
AprJulOct507510012515020252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec125149—
Nov8480—
Oct113114—
Sep8511973
Aug11313563
Jul8392138
Jun9311984
May10411074
Apr9210499
Mar11610175
Feb816956
Jan678193

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Albany metro area pulled 1,098 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 12.3% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 18.8% below the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Albany area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Albany · Home pricesCOPIED

Albany home prices are 7.0% higher than a year ago

Home prices in the Albany metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

1990200020102020-10%0%10%20%30%Albany
1990200020102020-10%0%10%20%30%Albany
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateAlbany
Jun 20267%
Mar 20264.9%
Dec 20255.4%
Sep 20255.3%
Jun 20255.8%
Mar 20258.9%
Dec 20246.6%
Sep 20246.1%
Jun 20248.1%
Mar 202411.7%
Dec 20239.5%
Sep 20239.8%
Jun 20235.9%
Mar 20235.5%
Dec 202210.2%
Sep 202210.8%
Jun 202216.6%
Mar 202212.4%
Dec 202112.7%
Sep 202114.9%
Jun 20219.4%
Mar 20218.7%
Dec 20206.1%
Sep 20204.1%
Jun 20203.8%
Mar 20202.3%
Dec 20194.1%
Sep 20192.8%
Jun 20192.5%
Mar 20192.4%
Dec 20181.5%
Sep 20182.1%
Jun 20183.2%
Mar 20184.2%
Dec 20172.9%
Sep 20172.8%
Jun 20171.9%
Mar 20171.4%
Dec 20163.1%
Sep 20162.5%
Jun 20162%
Mar 20161.5%
Dec 20150.8%
Sep 20151.5%
Jun 20152.2%
Mar 20152.5%
Dec 20140.6%
Sep 2014-0.7%
Jun 2014-1.1%
Mar 2014-2%
Dec 2013-0.7%
Sep 20130.5%
Jun 20131.1%
Mar 20130.1%
Dec 2012-0.8%
Sep 20120.3%
Jun 2012-1.1%
Mar 2012-0.7%
Dec 2011-1.1%
Sep 2011-2.5%
Jun 2011-0.9%
Mar 2011-0.2%
Dec 20100.5%
Sep 20100.1%
Jun 2010-2%
Mar 2010-3.6%
Dec 2009-1.6%
Sep 2009-1.7%
Jun 2009-1.4%
Mar 2009-0.7%
Dec 2008-1.8%
Sep 2008-0.4%
Jun 2008-0.1%
Mar 20081.7%
Dec 20072.2%
Sep 20072.7%
Jun 20073.4%
Mar 20074.5%
Dec 20065.9%
Sep 20066.2%
Jun 200610.1%
Mar 200613.3%
Dec 200513.5%
Sep 200514.2%
Jun 200516.4%
Mar 200515.2%
Dec 200414.5%
Sep 200417%
Jun 200413.7%
Mar 200411.7%
Dec 200311.2%
Sep 20039.4%
Jun 20038.5%
Mar 20038.8%
Dec 20028.4%
Sep 20026.6%
Jun 20026.5%
Mar 20026.4%
Dec 20016.4%
Sep 20015.8%
Jun 20015.7%
Mar 20014.4%
Dec 20004.4%
Sep 20003.2%
Jun 20001.1%
Mar 20000.6%
Dec 1999-0.3%
Sep 19991.7%
Jun 19992.3%
Mar 19990.8%
Dec 19982.3%
Sep 19982.5%
Jun 19981.3%
Mar 19982.8%
Dec 19971.7%
Sep 1997-0.8%
Jun 1997-0.1%
Mar 1997-3.2%
Dec 1996-3.3%
Sep 1996-1.5%
Jun 1996-0.1%
Mar 19963.5%
Dec 1995-0.3%
Sep 1995-0.9%
Jun 1995-4%
Mar 1995-6.8%
Dec 1994-4.3%
Sep 1994-3.9%
Jun 1994-2.5%
Mar 1994-0.1%
Dec 1993-0.5%
Sep 1993-0.1%
Jun 19931.1%
Mar 1993-0.5%
Dec 19921.8%
Sep 19921.9%
Jun 19920.7%
Mar 19923.3%
Dec 19911.2%
Sep 19911.8%
Jun 19911.6%
Mar 19910.1%
Dec 19901%
Sep 1990-0.1%
Jun 19902.3%
Mar 19903.6%
Dec 19894%
Sep 19895%
Jun 19894.5%
Mar 19896.8%
Dec 19889.7%
Sep 198811%
Jun 198815.5%
Mar 198814.7%
Dec 198716.6%
Sep 198722.3%
Jun 198721.3%
Mar 198722%
Dec 198628.4%
Sep 198616.4%
Jun 198619.8%
Mar 198619.6%
Dec 19858.3%
Sep 198514.7%
Jun 19859.6%
Mar 19857.4%
Dec 198414%
Sep 198410.5%
Jun 198415.2%
Mar 198417.3%
Dec 198313.5%
Sep 19835.7%
Jun 19836.2%
Mar 19832.4%
Sep 19828.6%
Jun 198211%
Mar 1982-0.6%
Sep 19819%
Jun 1981-0.7%
Mar 19817%
Dec 19801.5%
Sep 19804.1%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Albany metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 7.0% above its level a year earlier. Since 1980, prices have risen an average of 5.0% a year. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Albany home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

amber · 3.4pp

Redfin (metro)

+3.6%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+7.0%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

Market dispatches

Citable market dispatches for Albany → Latest dispatch: Jul 24, 2026.

More markets in NY

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
12020$560K↓62↓28↓20↑50↓$436K↑
12065$580K↓81↑36↑20↑57↑$492K↑
12118$560K62↑12↑16↑76↓$475K↑
12180$354K↑50↓32↑16↓31↓$311K↑
12203$330K↑37↑28↓20↑39↑$340K↑
12205$339K↓33↑28↑16↓31↑$338K↑
12302$395K↑63↑40↑24↑56↑$335K↑
12303$308K↑39↓32↓20↓45↓$323K↑
12306$315K↓68↑20↓24↑40↓$302K↑
12309$420K↓57↑36↑24↑45↑$417K↑
12831$673K↑40↑16↓12↑88↑$482K↑
12866$849K↑176↓48↓44↑59↑$660K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.