Monthly market report · Updated October 29, 2026
Orange County housing market: September 2026
Orange County's median sold price for existing single-family homes was $1,480,000 in September 2026, up 1.9% from August 2026 and 5.6% from September 2025, according to C.A.R. Closed single-family sales in the county were 0.7% below August 2026 and 2.0% below September 2025.
- Median price, single-family
- $1,480,000
- +5.6% vs September 2025
- Closed sales vs a year ago
- −2.0%
- −0.7% vs August 2026
- Months of inventory
- 3.0
- 3.0 a year earlier
- Median days on market
- 30
- 33 a year earlier
- Median price, condo/townhome
- $790,000
- +0.6% vs a year earlier
- 30-year fixed mortgage rate
- 7.24%
- Freddie Mac, week of October 29, 2026
Orange County median home price trend
The single-family median was $1,480,000 in September 2026, compared with $1,401,250 in September 2025. The highest month in the series below was May 2026, at $1,492,500. Medians move with the mix of homes that sell each month, so compare the same month year over year.
| Month | Median price |
|---|---|
| September 2026 | $1,480,000 |
| August 2026 | $1,452,500 |
| July 2026 | $1,475,000 |
| June 2026 | $1,490,000 |
| May 2026 | $1,492,500 |
| April 2026 | $1,470,000 |
| March 2026 | $1,467,500 |
| February 2026 | $1,432,500 |
| January 2026 | $1,410,000 |
| December 2025 | $1,390,000 |
| November 2025 | $1,400,000 |
| October 2025 | $1,391,000 |
| September 2025 | $1,401,250 |
Orange County vs the rest of Southern California
Single-family medians and sales for September 2026, from the same C.A.R. release.
| County | Median price | Price vs year ago | Sales vs year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $994,670 | +1.2% | −10.9% |
| Orange | $1,480,000 | +5.6% | −2.0% |
| Riverside | $620,000 | −0.6% | −12.7% |
| San Bernardino | $531,090 | +6.2% | −6.0% |
| San Diego | $1,050,000 | +6.1% | −12.2% |
| Ventura | $930,000 | +3.3% | +6.4% |
| California | $899,720 | +1.7% | −6.5% |
What it means if you're buying
Orange County had 3.0 months of unsold single-family inventory in September 2026, compared with 3.1 months in August 2026 and 3.0 months in September 2025, and the median time on market was 30 days, compared with 33 days in September 2025 (C.A.R.). Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 7.24% as of October 29, 2026, compared with 6.17% a year earlier, and the 15-year fixed rate averaged 6.60%. The county's condo and townhome median was $790,000 in September 2026, 0.6% above September 2025.
Prices also carry costs the median doesn't show: Mello-Roos special taxes, HOA dues and supplemental property tax bills after you buy. Our Orange County property tax calculator estimates them for a specific price, and the Orange County area guide links to every city guide.
What it means if you're selling
Orange County's single-family median of $1,480,000 in September 2026 was 5.6% above September 2025, while closed sales were 2.0% lower than a year earlier (C.A.R.). C.A.R.'s sales-price-to-list-price ratio for Orange County single-family homes was 98.3% in September 2026, compared with 97.9% in September 2025. Median time on market was 30 days in September 2026, up from 27 days in August 2026.
A countywide median can't price a specific home. A written valuation from recent comparable sales in your neighborhood can; ask us for one, with no obligation to list.
How to read these numbers
- Median price is the middle sale price of existing (not newly built) single-family homes that closed escrow in the month. It is not an appraisal of any one home.
- Months of inventory (C.A.R.'s unsold inventory index) is how long the homes listed for sale would take to sell at the current monthly sales pace.
- Days on market is the median number of days homes that sold in the month were on the market.
- Mortgage rates are Freddie Mac's weekly national average for a 30-year fixed loan; your rate depends on your credit, down payment and loan type.
For what forecasters expected for 2026 and how the year compares, see our 2026 Orange County housing forecast vs results. For the year ahead, see what forecasters expect in our Orange County housing market forecast for 2027.
Sources
- C.A.R.: California home sales pull back in September as higher borrowing costs and affordability challenges constrain buyer demand, C.A.R. reports
- C.A.R.: Historical Housing Data (Sales Statistics for Existing Single Family Homes)
- C.A.R.: Median Prices of Existing Single Family Homes (historical data spreadsheet)
- C.A.R.: Sales of Existing Single Family Homes, percent changes (historical data spreadsheet)
- C.A.R.: Unsold Inventory Index (UII) of Existing Single Family Homes (historical data spreadsheet)
- C.A.R.: Median Time on Market of Existing Single Family Homes (historical data spreadsheet)
- C.A.R.: County Sales & Price Statistics
- C.A.R.: County Sales & Price Statistics (Public), full Excel (September 2026)
- C.A.R.: Sales and Price Activity (Condos/Townhomes), September 2026 (PDF)
- C.A.R.: Price per Square Foot & Sales to List Ratio (SFH Homes), September 2026 (PDF)
- C.A.R.: 2026 Economic News Release Schedule (PDF)
- Freddie Mac: Primary Mortgage Market Survey
- Freddie Mac: PMMS historical weekly data (rates since 1971)
Earlier C.A.R. monthly releases used to check the price history (12)
- C.A.R.: August home sales and price report (August 2026 data)
- C.A.R.: July 2026 Home Sales and Price Report
- C.A.R.: June Home Sales and Price Report (June 2026 data)
- C.A.R.: May 2026 Home Sales and Price Report
- C.A.R.: April Home Sales and Price Report (April 2026 data)
- C.A.R.: March Home Sales and Price Report (March 2026 data)
- C.A.R.: February home sales and price report (February 2026 data)
- C.A.R.: January home sales and price report (January 2026 data)
- C.A.R.: December home sales and price report (December 2025 data)
- C.A.R.: November home sales and price report (November 2025 data)
- C.A.R.: October home sales and price report (October 2025 data)
- C.A.R.: September home sales and price report (September 2025 data)
Frequently asked questions
What is the median home price in Orange County right now?
In September 2026, the median price of an existing single-family home sold in Orange County was $1,480,000, according to the California Association of REALTORS®, up 5.6% from a year earlier. The condo and townhome median was $790,000. Half of the homes sold for more and half for less.
Is Orange County a buyer's or a seller's market?
Inventory is one way to judge it. At the September 2026 sales pace, the homes for sale would take about 3.0 months to sell, compared with 3.0 months a year earlier. Fewer months of supply generally favors sellers and more favors buyers, but conditions differ by city, price range and property type, so look at recent sales for the homes you're considering.
Are Orange County home prices going down?
As of September 2026, the single-family median was up 5.6% compared with a year earlier. Monthly medians move with the mix of homes that sell, so one month's change says little on its own; the year-over-year change and the trend chart on this page are more reliable. This page reports what happened, not a forecast.
Where do these numbers come from and how often is this page updated?
Prices, sales, inventory and days on market are from the California Association of REALTORS® monthly county data, released for September 2026 on October 19, 2026. Mortgage rates are from Freddie Mac's weekly survey. We update this page each month when C.A.R. publishes new county figures; next update: Around November 17, 2026 (October data).
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