First Quarter Cape Cod Market Report: Median Priced Homes in High Demand

CCIAOR’s analysis of the first quarter CCIMLS market statistics for 2026 show high demand for single family homes between 1,000 and 1,999 square feet, with a median sale price of $570,000 for homes between 1,000 and 1,499 square feet and a median price of $715,000 for homes between 1,500 and 1,999 square feet.

With price growth stabilizing and the market settled at about 50% of 2019 inventory levels, regional variations emerged in Q1, with the Outer, Lower, and Upper Cape slightly favoring buyers, while the Mid Cape slightly favors sellers.

“Price growth has leveled out and the market is more predictable than it has been recently. We are likely done with explosive price growth, absent some significant external factor,” notes 2026 CCIAOR President Steve Seaver. “Supply remains the limiting factor, not demand.”

Overall, there is high demand for anything under $1,000,000, with listings priced below $999,999 averaging 34.4 median days on market, while listings priced $1,000,000 and above averaged 77 median days on market. 223 homes between 1,000 square feet and 1,499 square feet sold, while 221 homes between 1,500 square feet and 1,999 square feet sold, respectively.

“Price per square foot in this price range is generally below the median market price per square foot. The demand is strong in this segment because it is an attractive balance of features and price.”, notes Seaver. “These homes, which are largely listed around the region’s median sale price, are the median priced housing that our region is in desperate need of. Unlocking this inventory will go a long way towards addressing our housing crisis.”

Year to date, Barnstable County posted a median sale price for single family homes of $760,000 in Q1, an increase of 1.3% over the median sale price of $749,900 in Q1 2025. For condos, the median sale price was $492,000, an increase of 1.4% compared to $485,000 in 2025. Year to date, 433 single family homes closed, a decrease of 11.5% from 489 in 2025, while 138 condos closed, an increase of 0.7% from 137 in the same time period in 2025.

“Although severe February weather negatively impacted Q1 sales and listing volume, it is encouraging that the quarter ended with strong year over year buyer activity and pending sales.” adds Seaver.

The first quarter wrapped up with 583 new single-family listings, a decline of 21.7% from the 845 listed in the same time period in 2025, while there were 217 new condo listings, a decrease of 8.8% from 238 listed in 2025.

“It is well established that we have a housing supply problem on the Cape”, notes CCIAOR CEO Betsy Hanson. “There is no shortage of demand, but as a region we are simply not producing the level - and type - of housing needed to meet the needs of our year-round and seasonal populations.”

For a full quarterly report and town-by-town market data, please visit CapeCodRealEstateStats.com.