Cook County, IL Housing Market Update: June 2026

Key Takeaways Cook County crossed a turning point in June: over half of homes sold above their asking price for the very first time since mid-2022, while nationwide above-list rates remained near historic lows.

The mean price reached $398,875, up 6% year over year– triple the nationwide rate of cost growth.

Pending sales leapt 9% year over year, signifying a burst of purchaser activity heading into summertime.

Cook County, IL Real Estate Market Photo

Cook County’s housing market shifted into a greater gear in June. Costs ran well ahead of the nationwide rate, bidding wars crossed into bulk area, and pending sales posted their sharpest yearly gain since early 2025. Even as more sellers listed, available stock fell from a year earlier. The general image was a market providing more powerful go back to sellers than any month because the pandemic-era rise.

Discover whatever you need to understand about the Cook County, IL real estate market as we head into late summer, and what buyers and sellers can do to be successful.

U.S. Housing Market Snapshot

Nationally, home prices ticked up 2% and pending sales grew about 5%. Inventory hardly moved. That nationwide image hardly used here: Cook County’s costs grew three times as quick, supply contracted while the remainder of the country saw modest gains, and over half of homes sold above asking– more than double the nationwide rate.

“June marked a bump in the roadway for the ongoing real estate market recovery,” stated Chen Zhao, Redfin’s head of economics research. “Costs climbed faster than in recent months, and economic unpredictability and rising home loan rates connected to war in Iran scared some homebuyers and sellers. On a positive note, home sales trended upwards, and price enhanced as incomes increased faster than prices. There are pockets of competitors in the Midwest, Northeast, and Bay Area, but in basic, customers are still coping a difficult period. However, economists still expect the marketplace to gradually improve in the coming years.”

Cook County Costs Grew Three Times Faster Than the Nation

While national rates crept up just 2%, Cook County’s median leapt almost 7%– the best gap in over a year. The median list price reached $398,875 in June, an almost 7% increase from a year back. Cook County has actually appreciated approximately 46% since early 2020, and the rate of development re-accelerated after moderating previously this year. The mean rate per square foot climbed up about 6% year over year to $263, verifying that those gains reflected authentic worth instead of a compositional shift towards larger residential or commercial properties.

Cost cuts were uncommon. Just about 11% of active listings had minimized their asking price, down from 12% a year back and well below the nationwide average. The normal home cost almost 2% above its market price– up a complete portion point from in 2015. Sellers set enthusiastic prices, and buyers regularly matched or exceeded them.

Pending Sales Rose as Buyer Activity Got

Pending sales in Cook County reached 6,486 in June, an almost 9% dive from a year back, about double the national growth rate of 4.5%. This was the strongest year-over-year gain locally because January 2025 and marked a sharp turnaround from the flat-to-declining trend that defined much of 2025. Houses offered likewise increased about 4%, and new listings increased roughly 6%, showing that more sellers went into the market but buyers soaked up supply even much faster.

That rise in activity still left stock tight. Active listings fell about 1% year over year to 21,303, and months of supply dropped to 2.5, well listed below the national figure of 3.7. The age of active inventory fell to 41 days from 45 a year earlier, suggesting remaining listings represented a shrinking share of the market. Purchasers hoping for a summer slowdown experienced the reverse: demand accelerated while offered options grew scarcer.

New Listings Surged as More Sellers Entered the Market

New listings in Cook County reached 6,705 in June, growing about 6% year over year– approximately 30 times faster than the national rate (basically flat). Sellers went back to the marketplace in greater numbers, pressing the regular monthly overall to its greatest June level since 2024. The increase accompanied rising prices and magnifying competition: even as more homes appeared, need outstripped the extra supply. National new listings, by contrast, hardly moved– holding simply above 395,000 after 2 years of stagnancy.

The supply boost failed to alleviate pressure on buyers. Active inventory in fact fell about 1% year over year despite the listing rise, meaning homes were taken in nearly as rapidly as they appeared. For sellers considering whether to list, the information sent a clear signal: brand-new supply got in a market that consumed it quickly, and the odds of bring in competitive deals remained high.

Upper Tiers Led Rate Growth; Bottom Stalled Again

Redfin analysis of MLS information – Rolling three-month duration (March-May 2026)

The high tier grew fastest at 6% year over year, with majority of homes in that bracket selling above sticker price. High-end homes ($1.54 M average) saw a dramatic acceleration in above-list activity, rising 9 portion indicate almost 45%– and sales volume grew about 5%, the only tier with significant gains. Both the high-end and high tiers offered quicker, with days on market falling 3 to 5 days from a year earlier.

At the bottom, prices were basically flat and sales fell nearly 10%. Residences because bracket sat for 69 days– 28 more than the high tier, and fewer than a quarter sold above asking. Starter homes fell in between: rates increased about 4%, but volume dipped and above-list activity decreased somewhat. The split in between tiers revealed a market where competition focused in the upper half, while buyers at lower cost points retained more space to negotiate.

How Buyers and Sellers Can Navigate Cook County’s Market

If you’re purchasing in Cook County, plan for competitors at every step. Over 51% of homes offered above asking in June, which figure ran higher still in the upper tiers. Protected financing before you begin touring, set a firm ceiling, and be prepared to act quickly– the average home went under agreement in 47 days, and the quickest-moving properties disappeared within 2 weeks. If competition for upper-tier homes runs out reach, the starter and bottom sections still provided more working out utilize.

If you’re offering, conditions highly preferred you. The average home cost almost 2% above list, and fewer than 11% of listings needed a cost cut. Rate precisely from the first day and you’ll likely draw in deals quickly. But do not assume broad strength makes any listing bulletproof-bottom-tier volume fell sharply, and expensive homes in any bracket still risked sitting idle while properly priced rivals moved.

Cook County, IL Market Data by City

Rolling three-month duration (April-June 2026). Cities with 50+ sales shown.

This short article has been created, in whole or in part, utilizing generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, with input from Redfin head of economics research Chen Zhao. While efforts have actually been made to ensure the precision and reliability of this info, you need to individually validate all information, facts, and citations contained in this short article before relying on it for any function. This details is not a substitute for suggestions from a property representative, financial consultant, or other certified professional. County-level information is not seasonally changed. Examine the Redfin Data Center for extra thorough real estate market data.