Markets  ›  TN  ›  Memphis

Memphis, TN housing market

Memphis, TN metro median sale price $289K in Jul–Sep 2026, down 1.8% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Memphis, TN metro is $289K over Jul–Sep 2026, down 1.8% from the same 3 months a year earlier. The decline is steeper than in most of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro points the other way: up 1.8% through Q2 2026.

On median sale price, Memphis ($289K) ranks 8th of the 10 Tennessee metros Pecan Street tracks, between Johnson City ($317K) and Kingsport ($278K). Memphis has the most median days on market of the 10 Tennessee metros (72 days), ahead of Clarksville (69 days). On share of listings with a price cut, Memphis (39%) ranks 6th of the 10 Tennessee metros, between Chattanooga (42%) and Nashville (38%).

Listings spent a median 72 days on market in Sep 2026, more than in most of the 385 metros. 39% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 0.8 points higher. Median asking prices sit about 4% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 1,135 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 $1,556 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $67K a year. The median sale price equals about 14 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio down 3.7% from a year earlier. That ratio is lower than in most of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $153 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is down 5.9%.

In 10 of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are lower than a year earlier; two are higher.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$289K

-1.8% 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

$1,556/mo

$67K/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 Memphis compares to other U.S. metros

Home-price growth↓342nd of 383
Days on market↑69th of 385 (top 18%)
Price-to-rent↓266th of 373
Asking-vs-sale gap↓197th of 291
Price cuts155th of 385 (top 41%)

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≈ 14 -3.7% YoY
↓266th of 373
Asking price / sq ft$153 -5.9% 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≈ 39% +0.8 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
155th of 385 (top 41%)
New housing units permitted1,135

The median asking price $300K runs about 4% above the median sale price $289K.

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 78
MLS board of recordMemphis Area Association of REALTORS
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Housing Economy

Memphis · ConstructionCOPIED

Memphis builders pulled 0.5% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

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

AprJulOct14021028035042020252026
AprJulOct14021028035042020252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec228243—
Nov241210—
Oct280249—
Sep231301175
Aug292237236
Jul276270216
Jun265312274
May322250285
Apr301273302
Mar270300396
Feb259195303
Jan192237219

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

Builders in the Memphis metro area pulled 3,108 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 0.5% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 1.3% above 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 Memphis 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.

Memphis · Home pricesCOPIED

Memphis home prices are 1.8% higher than a year ago

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

19801990200020102020-20%0%20%40%60%Memphis
1990200020102020-20%0%20%40%60%Memphis
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateMemphis
Jun 20261.8%
Mar 20261.6%
Dec 20252.5%
Sep 20250.5%
Jun 20252.1%
Mar 20251.9%
Dec 20242.2%
Sep 20242.2%
Jun 20242%
Mar 20242%
Dec 20230.6%
Sep 20232.5%
Jun 20234.3%
Mar 20238.4%
Dec 202213%
Sep 202216.3%
Jun 202220.4%
Mar 202220.2%
Dec 202118.6%
Sep 202116.3%
Jun 202112.8%
Mar 20218.5%
Dec 20207.1%
Sep 20206.7%
Jun 20205.2%
Mar 20206.7%
Dec 20196.3%
Sep 20195.5%
Jun 20195.7%
Mar 20195.7%
Dec 20185.8%
Sep 20185.5%
Jun 20186.1%
Mar 20186%
Dec 20175.5%
Sep 20176.5%
Jun 20176%
Mar 20175.1%
Dec 20164.7%
Sep 20163.8%
Jun 20163.7%
Mar 20163%
Dec 20152.6%
Sep 20153.7%
Jun 20153.2%
Mar 20154.7%
Dec 20145.5%
Sep 20143.6%
Jun 20143.4%
Mar 20141.8%
Dec 20130.2%
Sep 20131.1%
Jun 20131.5%
Mar 20130.1%
Dec 2012-0.5%
Sep 2012-0.8%
Jun 2012-0.3%
Mar 2012-1.2%
Dec 2011-3.2%
Sep 2011-4.9%
Jun 2011-5.3%
Mar 2011-3.7%
Dec 2010-2%
Sep 2010-1.3%
Jun 2010-5.7%
Mar 2010-6.9%
Dec 2009-4%
Sep 2009-3.3%
Jun 2009-2.3%
Mar 2009-2.3%
Dec 2008-3.8%
Sep 2008-3.2%
Jun 2008-2%
Mar 20080.3%
Dec 20071%
Sep 20071.8%
Jun 20073%
Mar 20072.7%
Dec 20064.3%
Sep 20062.6%
Jun 20064.4%
Mar 20065.2%
Dec 20054.2%
Sep 20055.2%
Jun 20054.2%
Mar 20054%
Dec 20043.4%
Sep 20043.4%
Jun 20042.6%
Mar 20041.9%
Dec 20032.2%
Sep 20032.3%
Jun 20033.1%
Mar 20032.9%
Dec 20022.1%
Sep 20022.1%
Jun 20021.5%
Mar 20021.8%
Dec 20014.5%
Sep 20014%
Jun 20014.5%
Mar 20014%
Dec 20002%
Sep 20002.3%
Jun 20002.5%
Mar 20003.1%
Dec 19993.8%
Sep 19994.2%
Jun 19994.4%
Mar 19994.7%
Dec 19985.5%
Sep 19985%
Jun 19985.2%
Mar 19984.5%
Dec 19974.1%
Sep 19974.3%
Jun 19973.7%
Mar 19974.9%
Dec 19963.6%
Sep 19964.8%
Jun 19965.3%
Mar 19965.6%
Dec 19955.6%
Sep 19955.2%
Jun 19954.9%
Mar 19953.3%
Dec 19943.1%
Sep 19942.1%
Jun 19942%
Mar 19942.5%
Dec 19932.9%
Sep 19932%
Jun 19933.6%
Mar 19930.5%
Dec 19921.1%
Sep 19924.2%
Jun 19921.9%
Mar 19924.7%
Dec 19914.7%
Sep 19911.2%
Jun 19910.3%
Mar 1991-0.1%
Dec 1990-1.7%
Sep 1990-0.7%
Jun 19901%
Mar 19901.3%
Dec 19892.8%
Sep 19892.7%
Jun 19890.7%
Mar 19891%
Dec 19882.5%
Sep 19881.4%
Jun 19882.5%
Mar 19884%
Dec 19873%
Sep 19876%
Jun 19876.7%
Mar 19875.2%
Dec 19867.5%
Sep 19865%
Jun 19867.8%
Mar 19868.6%
Dec 19857.5%
Sep 198531%
Jun 19857.3%
Mar 198518.1%
Dec 19844%
Sep 1984-17.3%
Jun 19843.1%
Mar 1984-10.3%
Dec 19838.6%
Sep 198311.4%
Jun 198319.1%
Mar 19836.2%
Dec 1982-1.5%
Sep 1982-2.4%
Jun 1982-17.4%
Mar 19825.8%
Dec 19810.5%
Sep 198111.2%
Jun 19819.9%
Mar 19810.5%
Dec 19808.4%
Sep 19803.5%
Jun 198016.8%
Mar 198013.9%
Dec 19797%
Sep 19799.2%
Jun 19797.7%
Mar 19793.2%
Dec 197815.8%
Sep 197811.6%
Jun 19789.8%

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

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Memphis metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 1.8% above its level a year earlier. Since 1978, prices have risen an average of 3.9% a year. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Memphis 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 · 3.6pp

Redfin (metro)

-1.8%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+1.8%

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 Memphis → Latest dispatch: Jul 10, 2026.

More markets in TN

ChattanoogaClarksvilleClevelandJacksonJohnson CityKingsportKnoxvilleMorristownNashville

Get the daily version of this page

This page is the public read. Signed in, you get signals re-checked every 2 hours and a branded share-queue, with a per-agent newsletter in early access. Free trial.

Try it free

ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
38002$519K↓217↑60↑96↑81↓$406K↓
38016$325K↓141↓44↓48↓54↑$290K↓
38017$600K↓325↓88↑116↓77↓$506K↓
38103$339K↓167↑16↓48↑100↑$320K↓
38104$268K↓148↓32↓52↓87↑$249K↓
38109$99K↓183↑52↑48↑80↑$87K↓
38111$188K↓197↑60↓68↓71↑$130K↓
38117$287K↓199↑56↓96↑65↑$265K↓
38122$165K↓148↑24↓36↑123↑$120K↓
38127$100K↓233↑6072↑71↓$87K↓
38632$450K↑157↓44↓44↑60↓$348K↑
38654$410K↑255↓84↓100↓72↑$335K↑

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.